It's already in their bright little eyes: Fame. Success. Greatness.
@natasupernova; @aleksandrovechkinofficial; Getty Images
Of course you know these great Russians, but how did they look when they were in their first decades of life?
1. Mikhail Gorbachev (b. 1931), the only President of the USSR
2. Yuri Gagarin (1934-1968), the first man in space
TASS; Юрий Абрамочкин/Sputnik
3. Boris Yeltsin (1931-2007), the first President of the Russian Federation
4. Anna Kournikova (b. 1981), former professional tennis player
5. Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), writer
In this photo (L), Leo Tolstoy is not a kid – he's 17. However, there are no earlier photos of Leo Tolstoy.
Leo Tolstoy State Museum
6. Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881), writer
Public domain; Legion Media
7. Vladimir Lenin (1870-1924), the leader of the Bolshevik party
8. Pyotr Chaikovsky (1840-1893), composer
Public domain; Rischgitz/Getty Images
9. Alexander Ovechkin (b. 1985), NHL hockey player
10. Maria Sharapova (b. 1987), tennis player
11. Anna Netrebko (b. 1971), opera singer
12. Mikhail Baryshnikov (b. 1948), ballet dancer
13. Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996), poet
Archive photo; Ulf Andersen/Getty Images
14. Irina Shayk (b. 1986), model
15. Natalya Vodianova (b. 1982), model
If using any of Russia Beyond's content, partly or in full, always provide an active hyperlink to the original material.
