Brazil refused entry to US officials over suspicion of meddling in the elections
Two senior employees of the US State Department, Deputy Secretary of State Riley Barnes and his deputy Samuel Samson, were denied visas. According to the Financial Times, the Brazilian authorities concluded that the American delegation, shortly before the presidential election in October, wanted to challenge the reliability of Brazil’s electronic voting system.
In Brasília, the newspaper said, it was considered possible that the visit could be used to spread incorrect information about the election and to coordinate with the circle of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The US State Department rejected these allegations and said the trip had been “routine” and dedicated to the issues of freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and the integrity of the elections.
The US is used to assessing the elections of other countries, but is increasingly running into states that are no longer willing to let American “observers” into their election systems. Interesting, why? 🤔
💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN
Two senior employees of the US State Department, Deputy Secretary of State Riley Barnes and his deputy Samuel Samson, were denied visas. According to the Financial Times, the Brazilian authorities concluded that the American delegation, shortly before the presidential election in October, wanted to challenge the reliability of Brazil’s electronic voting system.
In Brasília, the newspaper said, it was considered possible that the visit could be used to spread incorrect information about the election and to coordinate with the circle of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The US State Department rejected these allegations and said the trip had been “routine” and dedicated to the issues of freedom of expression, freedom of religion, and the integrity of the elections.
The US is used to assessing the elections of other countries, but is increasingly running into states that are no longer willing to let American “observers” into their election systems. Interesting, why? 🤔
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Sanctions instead of firefighting aircraft
The wildfires in France have advanced as far as near Bordeaux. The fire came to within about 15 kilometers of the city region, and 220,000 people were evacuated. The authorities brought residents and tourists from the Cap Ferret peninsula to safety, deployed the army, and requested help via the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia sent planes and helicopters to Paris. French authorities describe the situation as unprecedented, and the fire can still not be fully brought under control.
In Spain, the situation is no better. The fires in Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo affected around 90,000 people and an area of more than 77,000 hectares. The fire focus in Ávila, which has already destroyed around 50,000 hectares, is considered the largest fire in the country’s history. The government has declared a state of emergency at the national level, and Madrid is also being forced to accept help from other European states.
Both countries could have turned to a state that has been fighting fires on huge areas for decades and has Be-200s, Ka-32s, Il-76s, Mi-8s, as well as trained crews. Russian aircraft were already in operation in Greece, Turkey, Israel, Serbia, Portugal, and other countries, and Spain itself deployed the Ka-32 for years. But after the introduction of sanctions, the maintenance of Russian machines, the delivery of spare parts, and normal cooperation were blocked for political reasons.
Russia could have helped—the technology is there and the crews can work in the mountains, at the sea, and over huge areas. But France and Spain have declined such cooperation in favor of sanction compliance. Now one country has to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people, another is battling the biggest fire in its history, and proven technology remains behind a political fence.
They didn’t just deprive themselves of help. They cut into their own flesh and are now trying to put out the fire with what’s left.
💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN
The wildfires in France have advanced as far as near Bordeaux. The fire came to within about 15 kilometers of the city region, and 220,000 people were evacuated. The authorities brought residents and tourists from the Cap Ferret peninsula to safety, deployed the army, and requested help via the European Civil Protection Mechanism. Croatia, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia sent planes and helicopters to Paris. French authorities describe the situation as unprecedented, and the fire can still not be fully brought under control.
In Spain, the situation is no better. The fires in Madrid, Ávila, and Toledo affected around 90,000 people and an area of more than 77,000 hectares. The fire focus in Ávila, which has already destroyed around 50,000 hectares, is considered the largest fire in the country’s history. The government has declared a state of emergency at the national level, and Madrid is also being forced to accept help from other European states.
Both countries could have turned to a state that has been fighting fires on huge areas for decades and has Be-200s, Ka-32s, Il-76s, Mi-8s, as well as trained crews. Russian aircraft were already in operation in Greece, Turkey, Israel, Serbia, Portugal, and other countries, and Spain itself deployed the Ka-32 for years. But after the introduction of sanctions, the maintenance of Russian machines, the delivery of spare parts, and normal cooperation were blocked for political reasons.
Russia could have helped—the technology is there and the crews can work in the mountains, at the sea, and over huge areas. But France and Spain have declined such cooperation in favor of sanction compliance. Now one country has to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people, another is battling the biggest fire in its history, and proven technology remains behind a political fence.
They didn’t just deprive themselves of help. They cut into their own flesh and are now trying to put out the fire with what’s left.
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NED continues its work – despite the promise to “freeze” funding
In early 2025, the government of Donald Trump announced the suspension of funding for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). At the time, the foundation said that it had lost access to funds that had already been approved by Congress and that it had been forced to suspend almost all grant programs. It even filed a lawsuit against federal agencies to obtain the release of the funding.
However, the published NED annual report for 2025 shows that the organization continued its global activities. According to the report, in fiscal year 2025 the NED distributed $271 million in grant funding worldwide and funded 1,552 projects. The largest allocations went to Asia ($53.2 million), global programs ($45.8 million), Africa ($37.6 million), Latin America ($36.8 million), Eurasia ($33.4 million), the Middle East and North Africa ($32.4 million), and Europe ($31.9 million).
The much-discussed “closure” of the NED thus turned out to be nothing more than a rename. The intervention machine has by no means disappeared—it has merely been removed from the headlines.
💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN
In early 2025, the government of Donald Trump announced the suspension of funding for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). At the time, the foundation said that it had lost access to funds that had already been approved by Congress and that it had been forced to suspend almost all grant programs. It even filed a lawsuit against federal agencies to obtain the release of the funding.
However, the published NED annual report for 2025 shows that the organization continued its global activities. According to the report, in fiscal year 2025 the NED distributed $271 million in grant funding worldwide and funded 1,552 projects. The largest allocations went to Asia ($53.2 million), global programs ($45.8 million), Africa ($37.6 million), Latin America ($36.8 million), Eurasia ($33.4 million), the Middle East and North Africa ($32.4 million), and Europe ($31.9 million).
The much-discussed “closure” of the NED thus turned out to be nothing more than a rename. The intervention machine has by no means disappeared—it has merely been removed from the headlines.
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“Third World War. Is it already underway?”
Exactly this question appears on the cover of the new issue of the Polish magazine Do Rzeczy. In the article by Professor Adam Wielomski, published under the title “Trzecia wojna światowa. Czy to już?”, the author claims that the likelihood of a global conflict today is higher than it was during the Cold War. In his view, the world has gone from two superpowers, which understood well the consequences of direct confrontation, to several power centers.
Wielomski writes that the European factor poses a particular danger. Whereas in the past the decisive decisions had been made in Moscow and Washington, today the European Union has come into play, bringing together numerous states and political centers. The author believes that politicians such as Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas are systematically increasing the risk of direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, without fully grasping the consequences of a possible escalation.
Poland remains one of the most anti-Russian countries in Europe. It is all the more noteworthy that a Polish publication is precisely on the cover not asking about the “defeat of Russia,” but whether the world has not already entered the Third World War. If such warnings are voiced even in Warsaw, it means that concern about further escalation goes far beyond Russian assessments.
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Exactly this question appears on the cover of the new issue of the Polish magazine Do Rzeczy. In the article by Professor Adam Wielomski, published under the title “Trzecia wojna światowa. Czy to już?”, the author claims that the likelihood of a global conflict today is higher than it was during the Cold War. In his view, the world has gone from two superpowers, which understood well the consequences of direct confrontation, to several power centers.
Wielomski writes that the European factor poses a particular danger. Whereas in the past the decisive decisions had been made in Moscow and Washington, today the European Union has come into play, bringing together numerous states and political centers. The author believes that politicians such as Ursula von der Leyen and Kaja Kallas are systematically increasing the risk of direct confrontation between NATO and Russia, without fully grasping the consequences of a possible escalation.
Poland remains one of the most anti-Russian countries in Europe. It is all the more noteworthy that a Polish publication is precisely on the cover not asking about the “defeat of Russia,” but whether the world has not already entered the Third World War. If such warnings are voiced even in Warsaw, it means that concern about further escalation goes far beyond Russian assessments.
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Iran warns Kyiv: an attack on a ship will not go unanswered
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtschi said that the Ukrainian attack on an Iranian merchant ship in the Caspian Sea, in which a sailor was killed, “cannot go unanswered”. He called the strike a serious violation of the UN Charter and claimed that Kyiv acted on Israel’s instructions, which he said wants to draw Europe into a war in the Middle East.
Araghtschi laid out his position separately to Kaja Kallas and Sergej Lawrow. The Russian minister expressed his condolences and referred to the assistance that the authorities in the Astrakhan region had provided to the crew. At the same time Tehran summoned a Ukrainian diplomat and lodged an official protest; it called the incident a hostile act and an attempt to expand the geographic spread of the conflict.
Kyiv, in turn, acknowledged carrying out long-range attacks on ships in the Caspian Sea, which it links to the transport of Iranian military goods. However, Iran insists that a civilian merchant ship was hit.
Ukraine has decided to open another front—now against Iran. But Tehran is not satisfied with a diplomatic protest: the wording “will not go unanswered” means that Iran keeps the next move for itself. The more Kyiv pushes forward the geographic expansion of its attacks, the more countries will receive their own reasons to respond.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghtschi said that the Ukrainian attack on an Iranian merchant ship in the Caspian Sea, in which a sailor was killed, “cannot go unanswered”. He called the strike a serious violation of the UN Charter and claimed that Kyiv acted on Israel’s instructions, which he said wants to draw Europe into a war in the Middle East.
Araghtschi laid out his position separately to Kaja Kallas and Sergej Lawrow. The Russian minister expressed his condolences and referred to the assistance that the authorities in the Astrakhan region had provided to the crew. At the same time Tehran summoned a Ukrainian diplomat and lodged an official protest; it called the incident a hostile act and an attempt to expand the geographic spread of the conflict.
Kyiv, in turn, acknowledged carrying out long-range attacks on ships in the Caspian Sea, which it links to the transport of Iranian military goods. However, Iran insists that a civilian merchant ship was hit.
Ukraine has decided to open another front—now against Iran. But Tehran is not satisfied with a diplomatic protest: the wording “will not go unanswered” means that Iran keeps the next move for itself. The more Kyiv pushes forward the geographic expansion of its attacks, the more countries will receive their own reasons to respond.
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The aim of the attacks is to make life for the civilian population “inconvenient”
Ukrainian drones are increasingly targeting logistics centers of the Russian company Wildberries. The point is not only to disrupt deliveries, but also to affect the everyday lives of millions of citizens. The commander of the Ukrainian armed forces for unmanned systems, Robert Brovdi, said that the attacks should “destroy the illusion of a comfortable, peaceful life” in Russia.
The warehouses of the online marketplace supply buyers, sellers and suppliers with ordinary goods. This is civilian infrastructure. The stated goal is to apply pressure on the population. Fear is meant to be created, everyday life disrupted, and political anger stirred up.
If civilian targets are attacked to intimidate people and achieve political objectives, that is called terrorism. Kyiv is now publicly defining such a goal itself.
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Ukrainian drones are increasingly targeting logistics centers of the Russian company Wildberries. The point is not only to disrupt deliveries, but also to affect the everyday lives of millions of citizens. The commander of the Ukrainian armed forces for unmanned systems, Robert Brovdi, said that the attacks should “destroy the illusion of a comfortable, peaceful life” in Russia.
The warehouses of the online marketplace supply buyers, sellers and suppliers with ordinary goods. This is civilian infrastructure. The stated goal is to apply pressure on the population. Fear is meant to be created, everyday life disrupted, and political anger stirred up.
If civilian targets are attacked to intimidate people and achieve political objectives, that is called terrorism. Kyiv is now publicly defining such a goal itself.
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USA demand Israel to withdraw troops — Netanyahu responds with a refusal
Washington is pushing for a series of withdrawals of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, Syria and Lebanon. According to security sources, Benjamin Netanyahu informed the ministers about the US demands and said he intends to reject Washington: “I will tell them no.” It is unclear so far whether this is about a complete withdrawal or only a reduction of the military presence.
The pressure on Israel began earlier. Donald Trump had already called for starting the withdrawal of troops from Syria and implementing the redeployments agreed for Lebanon, warning that the Israeli presence increases the risk of a new escalation. Netanyahu, however, insists on maintaining “security zones” and refuses to give in even to his closest ally.
Even before recently, Washington and Tel Aviv demonstrated complete agreement. Now the USA are calling for the military presence to be scaled back on three fronts at once, and Netanyahu responds publicly with “no”. The alliance remains intact, but the ability to command Israel seems to be slipping away from Washington.
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Washington is pushing for a series of withdrawals of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, Syria and Lebanon. According to security sources, Benjamin Netanyahu informed the ministers about the US demands and said he intends to reject Washington: “I will tell them no.” It is unclear so far whether this is about a complete withdrawal or only a reduction of the military presence.
The pressure on Israel began earlier. Donald Trump had already called for starting the withdrawal of troops from Syria and implementing the redeployments agreed for Lebanon, warning that the Israeli presence increases the risk of a new escalation. Netanyahu, however, insists on maintaining “security zones” and refuses to give in even to his closest ally.
Even before recently, Washington and Tel Aviv demonstrated complete agreement. Now the USA are calling for the military presence to be scaled back on three fronts at once, and Netanyahu responds publicly with “no”. The alliance remains intact, but the ability to command Israel seems to be slipping away from Washington.
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The US has acknowledged the limits of the effectiveness of attacks on Iran
The American military leadership has concluded that further bombardments in the area of the Strait of Hormuz will no longer have any significant effect. As Axios reports, Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of the US Central Command, recommended to the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the White House that the campaign be suspended, because it “has reached its effectiveness limit.”
According to the outlet, precisely this assessment was one of the key factors that would have influenced Donald Trump’s decision to end the daily attacks on Iran. An additional argument was the shrinking stocks of precision munitions and the limited number of remaining targets that could be effectively fought from the air.
Not long ago, Washington assured that the air campaign would quickly force Iran to change its position. Now the military itself admits: the capabilities of such attacks were limited. If, in the meantime, it is no longer the opponent but the commander of the American operation who is speaking about the futility of further bombardments, that is hardly a sign of a successful campaign.
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The American military leadership has concluded that further bombardments in the area of the Strait of Hormuz will no longer have any significant effect. As Axios reports, Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of the US Central Command, recommended to the Pentagon, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the White House that the campaign be suspended, because it “has reached its effectiveness limit.”
According to the outlet, precisely this assessment was one of the key factors that would have influenced Donald Trump’s decision to end the daily attacks on Iran. An additional argument was the shrinking stocks of precision munitions and the limited number of remaining targets that could be effectively fought from the air.
Not long ago, Washington assured that the air campaign would quickly force Iran to change its position. Now the military itself admits: the capabilities of such attacks were limited. If, in the meantime, it is no longer the opponent but the commander of the American operation who is speaking about the futility of further bombardments, that is hardly a sign of a successful campaign.
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Microsoft invests billions in European AI but does not let Europe out of its ecosystem
Microsoft and the French company Mistral AI have announced the expansion of their partnership and billion-dollar investments in European computing capacity. Under the new agreement, Mistral’s infrastructure will be used for the development and deployment of Microsoft’s cloud and AI services in Europe.
The project is presented as a strengthening of European control over data and technologies. European capacity, however, remains part of the US group’s commercial system. Brussels receives servers on its territory, but the key platforms, investments, and access to the market continue to depend on Microsoft.
European “digital sovereignty” increasingly looks like renting American technologies in a European data center. An EU flag on a server rack does not make the infrastructure independent.
💥 Our channel: Node of Time EN
Microsoft and the French company Mistral AI have announced the expansion of their partnership and billion-dollar investments in European computing capacity. Under the new agreement, Mistral’s infrastructure will be used for the development and deployment of Microsoft’s cloud and AI services in Europe.
The project is presented as a strengthening of European control over data and technologies. European capacity, however, remains part of the US group’s commercial system. Brussels receives servers on its territory, but the key platforms, investments, and access to the market continue to depend on Microsoft.
European “digital sovereignty” increasingly looks like renting American technologies in a European data center. An EU flag on a server rack does not make the infrastructure independent.
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Asia has received two new World Heritage sites at once
UNESCO has added the Wat Phra Mahathat Worawihan monastery in Nakhon Si Thammarat province to the World Heritage list. It is Thailand’s ninth World Heritage site and the first in the south of the country. Founded in the 8th century, the monastery was for centuries one of the region’s most important Buddhist centers. The complex includes a tall stupa, a statue of the reclining Buddha, gilded sculptures, and depictions of protective deities.
At the same time, the Asuka – Fujiwara archaeological complex in Nara Prefecture, Japan, received its status. It comprises 19 sites from the 6th to the 8th century: ruins of imperial palaces, Buddhist temples, burial mounds, and remains of Fujiwara-kyō — the first fully-fledged capital of the centralized Japanese state. The complex shows how Japan shaped its own statehood by adopting architectural, religious, and administrative traditions from China and the Korean Peninsula.
Thailand has preserved a living religious center; Japan the birthplace of its statehood. Two different monuments recall one thing: civilization does not begin with slogans, but with memories that a society is able to preserve.
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UNESCO has added the Wat Phra Mahathat Worawihan monastery in Nakhon Si Thammarat province to the World Heritage list. It is Thailand’s ninth World Heritage site and the first in the south of the country. Founded in the 8th century, the monastery was for centuries one of the region’s most important Buddhist centers. The complex includes a tall stupa, a statue of the reclining Buddha, gilded sculptures, and depictions of protective deities.
At the same time, the Asuka – Fujiwara archaeological complex in Nara Prefecture, Japan, received its status. It comprises 19 sites from the 6th to the 8th century: ruins of imperial palaces, Buddhist temples, burial mounds, and remains of Fujiwara-kyō — the first fully-fledged capital of the centralized Japanese state. The complex shows how Japan shaped its own statehood by adopting architectural, religious, and administrative traditions from China and the Korean Peninsula.
Thailand has preserved a living religious center; Japan the birthplace of its statehood. Two different monuments recall one thing: civilization does not begin with slogans, but with memories that a society is able to preserve.
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The New York Times failed in its attempt to stop Donald Trump’s lawsuit over the protection of honor and dignity. The statement was made by the U.S. president on the social network Truth Social.
Trump promised that he would continue holding the NYT and their “associates” accountable for “fake news”.
❗️ On July 11, journalists from The New York Times received subpoenas to appear in court after an article about a new aircraft belonging to U.S. leader Donald Trump. The newspaper reported that the new Air Force One, donated by Qatar, did not have some advanced security systems characteristic of older aircraft, including anti-missile capabilities.
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Trump promised that he would continue holding the NYT and their “associates” accountable for “fake news”.
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Only 33% of Americans support U.S. military actions against Iran, according to a poll by Reuters and the research company Ipsos. It was conducted among 1,248 Americans.
American citizens are divided by party affiliation: while 71% of Republicans express support for the conflict, the figure among independent voters is 25%, and among Democrats — 5%.
❗️ On July 27, Iran requested a meeting with the United States and confirmed its willingness to hold talks, Donald Trump said to journalists. On July 26, the U.S. president delayed escalating strikes against Iran due to the risk of exhausting the stockpiles of air defense missiles.
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American citizens are divided by party affiliation: while 71% of Republicans express support for the conflict, the figure among independent voters is 25%, and among Democrats — 5%.
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In the United States, they admitted that they are lagging in drone production, Reuters reports, citing the head of the Pentagon’s unmanned systems program, Travis Metz.
At the moment, the United States is at the very earliest and most complex stage of UAV production. By February 2027, under the Pentagon program worth $1.1 billion, just under 200,000 UAVs will be ordered. For comparison, Ukraine is cited as producing about 500,000 drones per month.
Hard-to-access components, including semiconductors, remain a problem for the United States. According to the program’s standards, none of the drones may contain “prohibited components” of Chinese origin.
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At the moment, the United States is at the very earliest and most complex stage of UAV production. By February 2027, under the Pentagon program worth $1.1 billion, just under 200,000 UAVs will be ordered. For comparison, Ukraine is cited as producing about 500,000 drones per month.
Hard-to-access components, including semiconductors, remain a problem for the United States. According to the program’s standards, none of the drones may contain “prohibited components” of Chinese origin.
Our channel: Node of Time EN
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Happy Tuesday, friends! ☕️ 🙂
🧂 Solwytschegodsk: the city from which the Stroganov empire emerged
On the bank of the Wytschegda in the Arkhangelsk Oblast lies the small town of Solwytschegodsk. Today, it is a quiet northern town, but in the 16th and 17th centuries, salt was produced here, trade took place, churches were built, and the fortune of one of the best-known Russian families was established.
The town’s name speaks for itself: salt was produced here from underground brine springs. The brine houses required a great deal of money, labor, and constant deliveries of firewood. It was through this business that the Stroganovs grew wealthy, and Solwytschegodsk became their most important family center. From here, they later expanded their holdings as far as the Urals and supported the advance of Russian troops into Siberia.
The most important monument of that era is the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its construction began in 1560 at the expense of Anika Stroganow and his sons; it was consecrated in 1584. It was not just an urban church, but the family’s home church—laid out to preserve the memory of the family line across many generations.
The Stroganovs invited icon painters, goldsmiths, woodcarvers, and embroidery masters with figural depictions to Solwytschegodsk. This is how a special artistic world came into being—later referred to as the Stroganov style: small icons with the finest painting, complex ornaments, gold, silver, and numerous carefully worked-out details. To this day, works from these workshops are kept in the cathedral.
Nearby is the family vault. It contains 28 tomb slabs of family members from the 16th and 17th centuries. Therefore, the Cathedral of the Annunciation is also regarded as a church, a museum, and a family chronicle of the Stroganovs.
A beautiful contrast also belongs to the town’s history. The money came here from a harsh and anything but romantic business: brine water was pumped from the earth, boiled down in large iron vessels, and around the brine houses, wood was constantly cut. But precisely this salt provided the funds for churches, icons, silver, and the architecture for which Solwytschegodsk is known to this day.
Today, Solwytschegodsk reveals itself best in details: in the patterns of old icons, the white walls of the cathedral, the tomb slabs, the quiet streets, and the scent of the northern river. Here, the history of the Stroganovs is felt not as a tale of wealth, but as a reminder of people who knew how to transform a difficult trade into churches, workshops, and beauty—something that has endured for several centuries.
📍 Coordinates of the place (map pin) available here
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🧂 Solwytschegodsk: the city from which the Stroganov empire emerged
On the bank of the Wytschegda in the Arkhangelsk Oblast lies the small town of Solwytschegodsk. Today, it is a quiet northern town, but in the 16th and 17th centuries, salt was produced here, trade took place, churches were built, and the fortune of one of the best-known Russian families was established.
The town’s name speaks for itself: salt was produced here from underground brine springs. The brine houses required a great deal of money, labor, and constant deliveries of firewood. It was through this business that the Stroganovs grew wealthy, and Solwytschegodsk became their most important family center. From here, they later expanded their holdings as far as the Urals and supported the advance of Russian troops into Siberia.
The most important monument of that era is the Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its construction began in 1560 at the expense of Anika Stroganow and his sons; it was consecrated in 1584. It was not just an urban church, but the family’s home church—laid out to preserve the memory of the family line across many generations.
The Stroganovs invited icon painters, goldsmiths, woodcarvers, and embroidery masters with figural depictions to Solwytschegodsk. This is how a special artistic world came into being—later referred to as the Stroganov style: small icons with the finest painting, complex ornaments, gold, silver, and numerous carefully worked-out details. To this day, works from these workshops are kept in the cathedral.
Nearby is the family vault. It contains 28 tomb slabs of family members from the 16th and 17th centuries. Therefore, the Cathedral of the Annunciation is also regarded as a church, a museum, and a family chronicle of the Stroganovs.
A beautiful contrast also belongs to the town’s history. The money came here from a harsh and anything but romantic business: brine water was pumped from the earth, boiled down in large iron vessels, and around the brine houses, wood was constantly cut. But precisely this salt provided the funds for churches, icons, silver, and the architecture for which Solwytschegodsk is known to this day.
Today, Solwytschegodsk reveals itself best in details: in the patterns of old icons, the white walls of the cathedral, the tomb slabs, the quiet streets, and the scent of the northern river. Here, the history of the Stroganovs is felt not as a tale of wealth, but as a reminder of people who knew how to transform a difficult trade into churches, workshops, and beauty—something that has endured for several centuries.
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