The proposed experiment to swap out passports for digital smartphone IDs would last 18 months. Pending results, Muscovites could even lose their paper identification forever, with many regions expected to follow suit.

Poisoned chewing gum, Chinese carpets with spooky pictures that appear in the dark, and deadly Colorado beetles - the USSR had many fake horror stories that spoke more about the fears of the Communist Party leadership than it did about the Soviet people.

Bears, vodka, and Cossacks are ever-present motifs in US and European movies and TV shows that feature Russia. But among the cliches, there are some gems to be found.

The mix of Soviet and modern architecture makes this Black Sea resort one of the most beautiful cities in Russia.

It’s true, Russian is difficult. It takes the average English speaker 1,100 hours to master Russkiy. That’s almost twice the time needed to learn French, Spanish or even Swahili! But, even if you’re not planning to spy for the CIA or read Tolstoy, there are still many reasons to put the time into learning Russian, especially now. Read on to find out where you can begin your Russian language adventure online!