Stories
Long reads and featured stories about Russia — culture, mindset, media, everyday life. Pick a topic, or read down the list.
How French hacked the Russian language
And why it surprises everyone
Long read · 1 min readRussian nobility spoke French better than Russian
True or false?
Long read · 1 min readThese Westerners moving to Russia
For genuinely weird reasons
Long read · 1 min readHow Russians actually see Westerners IRL
Spoiler: it's not what you think
Long read · 1 min readMy Moscow: what nobody actually tells you
The unfiltered truth
Long read · 1 min readWhen coverage of Russia merges state and people
A look at how the shortcut works, and what it leaves out
Long read · 1 min readSanctions, and the turn toward China
Two things that happened in the same decade
Long read · 1 min readWestern politics seen by a non-Westerner
External perspective
Long read · 1 min readRussia and Asia: How Not to Sleep Through the Biggest Shift
From 100,000 student exchanges with China to fully funded youth summits — the Russia-Asia track explained
Long read · 4 min readRussia and Africa: The Youth Axis Nobody Explained to You
From MGIMO forums to Russian Houses in Kampala — how Russia builds a youth ecosystem with Africa
Long read · 4 min readRussia in BRICS: How to Plug into the Club of the Future
BRICS is no longer just geopolitics. Youth camps, mentoring, research networks — and how you can personally join
Long read · 4 min readBeing Black in Russia and 'Russian by Values'
An honest inside look: personal experience, state policy, and why Russianness is less about ethnicity and more about values
Long read · 7 min readThe Truth About the Russian Mindset
Why Russians don't smile, why they don't hate the West, and what really drives the Russian psyche
Long read · 5 min readWhy Slavs Don't Smile at Strangers: Metro Rules, Small Talk, Dating Bills
The 'Slavic vibe' is culture, not genetics: survival rules, no random smiles, dating etiquette
Long read · 1 min readLife in Russia 2026: An Insider's Reality Check
Beyond the headlines: How navigation failures, Chinese cars, and the digital divide have shaped a new normal
Long read · 2 min readThe Hidden Superpower: Russian-Speaking Founders Building Tomorrow's World
17,000+ entrepreneurs quietly dominating global tech
Long read · 5 min readRussian Internet: The Ultimate Guide
Creators, Musicians & Websites You Should Know
Long read · 3 min readWestern Memes About Russia… Explained by a Russian
18 memes fact-checked by a real Russian (It Gets Weird)
Long read · 8 min readHow the Pena Palace Inspired One of Moscow's Strangest Buildings
When Sintra met Moscow in the 19th century
Long read · 2 min readA Russian in Portugal
A whole world inside Lisbon
Long read · 2 min readThe Propaganda Trap: When Both Sides Lie to You
Russia VS West: Breaking free from the echo chambers
Long read · 2 min readCitizen Diplomacy, Explained Simply
When people do better than governments
Long read · 2 min readWhy Can't We Understand Each Other Anymore?
Media polarization explained simply
Long read · 2 min readTraditional Values Visa: Russia Attracts Europeans Seeking a Different Lifestyle
But why are some people choosing to move to Russia?
Long read · 4 min readParis 2024: What I Really Experienced at the Olympics
An experience that says something about France, Russia... and all of us
Long read · 4 min readTwo Nations: Why This Project Exists
My story and the vision behind this project
Long read · 3 min read