Some literary heroes stay with us for life, shaping the way we perceive the world. That’s the case with Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Niolai Gogol’s characters. These men have universal and timeless appeal and are so very human!

Google Maps would label these places as "permanently closed". Alas, many fortifications in Russia, even the mightiest ones, have not survived to this day. But we can still see them in old engravings, paintings and even photographs.

The Udmurt dish tabani looks surprisingly familiar to anyone who likes pancakes, but don’t be fooled - they’re truly exceptional. Let's see what’s so special about this exotic-sounding dish.

Each person interprets foreign speech differently, but most tend to agree that the Russian language is among the most difficult to comprehend!

A multi storey concrete panel apartment block, a carpet on the wall and Russian delivery workers feature in the new LEGO set concept.