Yuri Vlasov was an extraordinary man with many talents: he was the greatest heavy weight lifter of his time, as well as an intellectual, an author, a journalist, a politician and even a Russian presidential candidate. He drank vodka with Yuri Gagarin, lifted Fidel Castro up like a child and was the flag bearer for Russia at the Olympics.

Internationally, poet Nikolai Nekrasov (1821-1877) is not as widely known as the great Russian novelists of the 19th century. And yet, he is no less important for understanding the Russian people than Tolstoy or Dostoevsky.

Universal conscription and tax-related hassles are some of the inconveniences.

You may have heard of the superstar’s plans to visit. So we decided to come up with our own list of crazy activities for Ye to get the full Russian experience!

There was a moment in Russian history when stone houses were allowed only in Saint Petersburg. Was it an absurd move or a clever manipulation? Let’s take a look!