In its long and brutal history, there was only one time when Russia was conquered by another state.

A selection of engaging Russian movies will be showcased at the 74th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, to be held from July 6 to 17. Some will vie for the coveted Palme d’Or and others will play outside the hustle and bustle of film competition.

For the first time since 2019, music festival ‘Nashestviye’, with an average audience of more than 100 thousand people, will be held in Russia in late July 2021. However, only visitors who can provide a negative test for COVID-19 or a vaccination against coronavirus will be allowed in. And all hell broke loose once this new requirement was announced.

Historian and architectural expert William Brumfield discovers the charms of one of Russia’s most visited cities.

Oddly, some of the richest men of the Empire sympathized with the revolutionary cause.