An incredible scene today in Russia. A riot cop tries to arrest a woman from the sidewalk, drawing a large crowd of outraged people. Then a man steps up and volunteers to take her place, saying “If you’re just meeting your quota, take me instead.” So he does.

Crystal clear ice of the frozen Baikal Lake

no one warns you that you can get nightmares from political TikTok

Putin is getting ready to stop protests against him

Photo of the day by Dmitry Markov

A Moscow court has sent Alexei Navalny to prison for 2 years and 8 months.

Today I learned that Chekhov had a pet mongoose named Svoloch (Bastard) which upset flower pots and "scrabbled in his beard".

Waiting room at the marriage registration office. Tallinn, Estonian SSR, 1973

TV Zvezda (the Russian Defense Ministry TV channel) is trying to up its production game. Either that or they are hazing their younger correspondents.

St. Patrick's Day in Russia

“Wake up! Quit using popular drugs! Drink Ivan chai”

Everyone loves circus