Russians eventually switched to the metric system of measurement after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, but until then, they had used numerous units to measure length. Moreover, different regions used different names to describe them.

Despite Russia’s overwhelming passion for the bard’s works, few in the country are aware of Shakespeare’s mentions of the country in his plays.

Historian and architecture expert William Brumfield discovers what remains of an ancient, historic monastery.

No other Emperor had this kind of military training before – since he was a boy, Peter the Great learned how to command soldiers in military training and in action. Later, this “Toy Army” turned into the most proficient of Russian military formations – the Imperial Guard.

According to one theory, ‘Russian roulette’ emerged in the Tsarist army as a relatively “safe” trick that easily impressed onlookers.