Day: February 8, 2019
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The Magical Light of Arkhip Kuindzhi
Come and be dazzled “Birch Grove” 1879 Arkhip Kuindzhi Courtesy of Tretyakov Gallery On January 27, Arkhip Kuindzhi’s exhibition at the Tretyakov Gallery—a retrospective in honor of the artist’s 175th birthday—became a news sensation after a 31-year-old man stole the painting “Ai-Petri. Crimea” during the museum’s working hours. The heist, which made worldwide headlines, also…
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Russia’s Investigative Committee Seeks Donations for Archangel Statue, Reports Say
The head of Russia’s Investigative Committee is reportedly seeking donations for the construction of a bronze Archangel Michael statue at the entrance of his agency’s new headquarters in Moscow as religious symbols gain an increasingly prominent place in Russian state institutions. The Russian Orthodox Church has become a powerful political force since the anointment of Patriarch Kirill as its…
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Russia Says Ready for Talks With Netherlands on MH17
Russia is ready to engage in talks with the Netherlands about the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17, Interfax news agency cited Russian deputy foreign minister Alexander Grushko as saying on Friday. Read More MH17: In Search of Justice (Op-ed) The Dutch government said earlier this week it was “increasingly confident” that Russian officials would…
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After Jailing of Jehovah’s Witness, Human Rights Activists Warn of ‘Wave’ of Arrests
Two days after a Russian court sentenced a Jehovah’s Witness to six years in jail, human rights activists have warned the case will trigger a crackdown on other religious minorities. On Wednesday, Dennis Christensen became the first Jehovah’s Witness convicted for extremism after Russia’s Supreme Court blacklisted the religious group in April 2017. Read More…
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Reebok Admits Cunnilingus Is No Joke in Russia
Reebok has pulled a racy ad in Russia after online users and the apparel company’s management derided it as being done in bad taste. Styled after the global #BeMoreHuman campaign that features celebrities like Gal Gadot and Ariana Grande, Reebok launched a Russian version on Thursday with a hashtag that roughly translates as #OutOfLine. Russia’s…
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Russian Journalist Charged With ‘Justifying Terrorism’ After Critical Comments
A Russian reporter faces possible jail time over comments about a 2018 suicide bombing that was critical of the authorities, in a case that rights activists have called an attack on free speech. Security officers raided journalist Svetlana Prokopyeva’s home in the northwestern city of Pskov on Wednesday in connection with her on-air criticism of…
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Paralympic Committee Lifts Russia Ban, With Conditions
The International Paralympic Committee (IPC) said on Friday it would lift the ban on Russia’s Paralympic Committee by March 15, under certain conditions. Russia has been barred from international Paralympic competitions since August 2016 over allegations of state-sponsored doping similar to the ones that led to the suspension of its athletics federation and anti-doping agency. The IPC…
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Russia Pledges Response to Norwegian Military Activity
Russia on Thursday accused Norway of pushing ahead with a military build-up which it said increased the risks of military action and required some kind of Russian response. Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said Moscow had watched as NATO member Norway had become more and more active in helping the Western military alliance build up its presence in the Arctic…
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Bus Falls Off Cliff in Russia, Killing 6 Miners
A bus carrying 22 miners plunged off a cliff in Russia on Friday, killing six workers of a company that owns the country’s largest coal mine, authorities have said. Videos from the scene of the incident in the Kemerovo region showed an upside-down orange Kamaz truck in a gray pit. “The Kamaz fell off an…
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Kremlin Says Don’t Look for Common Sense From Russia’s Rulers
Don’t rely on common sense if you want to understand how modern Russia is run. That’s the advice from President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov. “In governing, we can’t operate on the basis of common sense,” Peskov told reporters Thursday on a conference call. “First of all, we operate in terms of what is legal…