Discover Russian

Russia and China look to be tying the knot..

2009-10-12T09:31:00.000-07:00

After sixty years of development, relations between China and Russia are seen as being at their best. Let's take a brief look now at the significant moments and key features of the ties between the two countries.

One day after the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Soviet Union became the first to recognize and establish diplomatic ties with the newly-born republic.

At the end of 1991, China and Russia signed an agreement under which Russia agreed to continue the former Soviet Union's diplomatic ties.

In 1996, the two countries formed a partnership of strategic cooperation. And in 2001, a treaty on good-neighborly and friendly cooperation was signed.

The steady growth of the Sino-Russian strategic partnership has benefited economic and trade cooperation.

The annual bilateral trade volume has increased from seven billion US dollars in the early 1990s to around 57 billion dollars last year.

China is Russia's third largest trading partner, while Russia is China's eleventh biggest.

Following a proposal by leaders of both countries, China and Russia have staged national theme year activities in each country. More than 500 events were held during the 2006 "Year of Russia" in China and 2007 "Year of China" in Russia.

To further consolidate cooperation, the two countries have decided to hold the "Year of Russian Language" in China in 2009 and the "Year of Chinese Language" in Russia in 2010.

It must be love.

Russian leadership rejoices in collapse of defence shield.

2009-09-23T04:51:00.000-07:00

Russian leaders could not be happier. Indeed, the Russian President was downright buoyant, even giddy, in response to President Obama's announcement. So, what made the Russians so happy? President Barack Obama announced his decision to abandon the U.S. missile defense shield formulated to protect eastern Europe.

In response, Russia's President promptly said, "we appreciate the responsible approach of the U.S. President."

Before President Obama's public retreat, the U.S. plan for the protection of Europe included a shield over Europe with a radar site in the Czech Republic and ten missile interceptors in Poland. Needless to say, for both the Czechs and the Poles, the symbolism of protection was as important as the defenses themselves.

With one announcement, President Obama made clear that everything is negotiable and the single missile defense shield would be replaced with regional defense systems.

On the world stage, no one needs special reading glasses to read these international tea leaves. It is the Russians, with tough talk and tougher action, that appear to now dominate the international agenda. President Barack Obama came eye to eye with Russian leader Vladmir Putin. As the world watched, the former junior Senator from Illinois stared into the eyes of the Russian bear, and he has now blinked.

Russian culture: Dachas - The perfect holiday hideaway

2009-09-16T06:39:00.000-07:00

At summer’s peak, many Russians don’t venture far. The reason is dachas, their country houses. August brings the harvest for their small garden plots, but a dacha is much more than just an economic benefit: it embodies a culture dating back to Communist times.

The dacha is a unique phenomenon in the life of anyone who lives in the boundless expanses of the Russian Federation. A small plot – 0.15 acres – with a few currant bushes, apple trees and a vegetable patch, a little wooden house with no telephone or running water and a discreetly located outhouse.

In the last decade, of course, Russia has seen its share of over-the-top country palaces with columns, balustrades and similar excesses, but these fruits of wild imagination have nothing to do with real dachas.

In the old days, to have a dacha was a privilege. They were given only to society’s elite: senior officials, writers and scientists. In the 1960s, however, Soviet authorities let every family have a dacha. Ordinary Russian citizens could apply for a small plot of land and would receive it for free. All development, including construction of a home, was left to the owner.

Now, the Soviet man, raised on a negation of private property, could own his own piece of earth. Perhaps this was even the beginning of the Soviet Union’s eventual collapse.

Be that as it may, going to the dacha in the days before mobile phones was like visiting an uninhabited island. A person received the legal right to temporarily escape the total control of society. “I was at the dacha,” was the excuse used to explain any long absence: a sort of internal emigration.

During the Obamas’ visit to Moscow, Michelle won respect from the Russian press for “working the White House like a dacha” with her kitchen garden. As their visit demonstrated, a great way to earn Russians’ esteem is to till your own soil.

Practical aspects aside, the dacha has another purpose, and that is spiritual. Russians, who tend to think globally and worry about the fate of the world, are sometimes powerless to organise their own free time. As a result, all their agonies end on the couch in front of the television.

The dacha solves this problem once and for all. No one has to think about how to entertain themselves at weekends or waste time arguing with family members. “We’re going to the dacha” says it all. At the dacha, everyone finds an occupation after his or her own heart.

The husband bangs a nail into the wall, the wife weeds the vegetable patch, the children and dogs are left to their own devices. The dacha brings families together. And, in the end, “I was at the dacha this weekend” sounds a lot better than “I sat at home watching TV”.

Russian dolls on display at Bernardsville Library

2009-09-10T05:27:00.000-07:00

Award-winning doll artist, Stacia McDonough, will be exhibiting her exclusive collection of luxurious Russian 'Neva Dolls' at the Bernardsville Library from October 1 through October 30.

Stacia is the founder and chief designer of Neva Dolls, her 11-year old doll company which specializes in Russian porcelain dolls which are famously modeled after heroines of Russian history and culture. The dolls are painstakingly handcrafted in Saint Petersburg, Russia by master artisans, committed to preserving old world splendor through fine detail and sophisticated style. Each Neva Doll uniquely captures Russia’s history and grandeur with authentic costumes made from authentic fabrics, furs and materials.

A graduate of Monmouth University with a degree in literature, Stacia has always been fascinated by historical characters, real and fictional. It was her appreciation of the beauty of Russian culture and her keen interest with that country’s history that led to the design and creation of these museum quality dolls. 'Neva Dolls' pays homage to all Russian women through the centuries, from the peasant bride in the rural village to the courtly czarinas,” says Stacia.

In addition to winning numerous awards and ribbons for her exquisite handcrafted dolls, she most recently received the coveted “Featured Artist Award” from the prestigious Toy Museum of New York. “One of the most important characteristics we look for is how the artist gives back to the community, and Ms. McDonough is very generous with her help to our museum and to other charities. We want to see more doll artists follow her lead by doing more for others,” says Marlene Hochman, the museum’s director.

In the past, Stacia’s porcelain beauties have graced the halls of the New York City Public Library, the Donnell Library of NYC, the Brooklyn Public Library, the Clarence Dillon Library, the Monmouth County Library and the Toy Museum of New York.

"By bringing this exhibit to the Bernardsville Library, we hope to give the public a vivid insight into the remarkable culture and history of St. Petersburg, Russia and its unparalleled contributions to the art world".

Yanukovich vows to make Russian official language

2009-09-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

Party of Regions leader Viktor Yanukovich said he would make Russian an official language in Ukraine if elected president.

He promised to “do everything possible to make Russian a second official language” in the country.

Speaking in a live broadcast of the Odessa regional television company on Wednesday, Yanukovich responded to Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko’s recent statement in Lvov where she said that Russian should not be a second official language in Ukraine.

Given the audience at the world congress of Ukrainian in Lvov and the coming elections, Timoshenko said, “As long as our team is in power and as long as truly patriotic Ukrainians are in power, and I think this will not change, we will never allow anyone even to raise the question of another official language” other than Ukrainian.

“I will do everything I can to make Russian a second official language,” Yanukovich said.

He stressed that it would take 226 votes for a law making Russian an official language to be adopted. The next presidential election is scheduled for January 17, 2010. As the presidential election nears, the preservation of the Russian language and its status as a second official language become increasingly relevant political issue in Ukraine.

Regional mass media have been constantly complaining that the Russian language is being more and more forced out of the information environment in Ukraine.

The National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting has obligated the Sevastopol television and radio company to increase its broadcasts in Ukraine to at least 75 percent of airtime form January 1, 2009, even though 93 percent of people living in the city speak Russian.

However, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vasily Kirilich believes that the problem of the Russian language in the country is far-fetched.

"I do not see any problems with the Russian language in Ukraine," he said.

In Ukraine "every citizen speaks the language which he considers native or which he more comfortable for communication", Kirilich said.

"Where else in the world is there a parliament where deputies speak a foreign [Russian] language, except for the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada?" he said.

He stressed the need "to speak about what Ukraine and Russia have in common rather then focus on what they have in difference".

"Our countries have very many common and generally positive things," Kirilich said.

Ukraine does not have to account to anyone for its language policy, Culture and Tourism Minister Vasily Vovkun said.

Up to 100 Russian Aviation Companies May be Banned to Fly to Europe

2009-08-26T03:40:00.000-07:00

Up to 100 Russian aviation companies, ‘Aerofleet’ among them may be banned to fly to Europe.

Russian aviation companies were added to the list of companies who will be banned to fly from 2012 due to ecologic norms. There are 4 thousand companies in the list. New EU law will be in force from 1 January 2012. The law forces airlines to cut CO2.

The list includes German ‘Lufthansa’, Italian ‘Alitalia’, Spanish ‘Quantas’, French-Holland ‘KLM’ and Arabic ‘Emirates’, US military-air forces, military airlines of Russia and Israel as well.

According to International experts, 13% of CO2 is from aviation transport.

The Twitter fiasco; A bungled caper by Russian intelligence

2009-08-12T08:24:00.000-07:00

Sukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia, the Russian occupied northwestern enclave of Georgia. Sukhumi has a Latin past. Like the rest of Georgia, it was once part of the Byzantine Empire.

The Latin spelling for the Russian name of Sukhumi is Cyxymu. Cyxymu is also the name of the blogger who was targeted last week in the cyber attack on Google Blog, Twitter, Live Journal and You Tube by Russian intelligence. The attack caused Twitter to crash.

Mostly written in Russian, Cyxymu is intended for other Abkhazian refugees. Criticizing Russian aggression, but pulling no punches as to Georgia, the site quickly became quite popular. However, in October 20o8, Live Journal, the blog’s host, was the target of a massive cyber attack, probably by Russian intelligence. Succumbing to the pressure, Live Journal, Russia’s largest blog platform, deleted Cyxymu’s account.

Twice canceled due to Russian cyber warfare censorship, Cyxymu now moved on to Twitter, Google Blog, and You Tube. Changing his name to Cyxymu2, he reappeared on Live Journal.

Moscow’s cyber attack was a ham-fisted attempt to censor the blogosphere. But, not only did it fail, but by taking down Twitter, a front and center platform in the West, it guaranteed publicity for Cyxymu.

Russian Orthodox Head Rejects Calls for Independent Church in Ukraine

2009-08-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

The spiritual leader of the Russian Orthodox Church rejected calls from Ukraine's president to create a local Orthodox church body independent from Moscow, stressing that the dominant Orthodox church in Ukraine, which answers to Moscow, is the only legitimate church there.

"This church, Mr. President, already exists," Kirill said after meeting up with Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko on Monday at the Holodomor Victims Memorial in Kiev. "If it didn't exist today, Ukraine wouldn't exist either."

Though the country's main Orthodox church recognizes Kirill as their spiritual leader, some church leaders have proclaimed themselves independent of Moscow and have been gaining popularity and political support from Yushchenko.

The president is encouraging church leaders in Ukraine to shake off centuries of Russian influence and asked the world's Orthodox spiritual leader, Bartholomew I of Constantinople, last year to bless the creation of a Ukrainian church that would be independent of the powerful Moscow patriarchate.

Yushchenko's request for a national church, however, have only been met with unclear responses from Constantinople - one of which led both Moscow and Kiev to claim victory.

Though many observers believe the Ukrainian church is bound to attain independence eventually, some note that an abrupt decision could lead to a deep split between Constantinople and the Russian Orthodox Church, which claims 95 million out of the world's 250 million Orthodox and is the biggest in the world.

As a nation, Ukraine has been independent since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Kirill, who has been in Ukraine since July 27, was scheduled to conclude his visit Wednesday with an event commemorating the 450th anniversary of the miracle of the Pochaiv icon of the Madonna. The Ukrainian Orthodox Church expects Kirill to visit Ukraine again in 2010.

Russian Mushrooms

2009-07-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

Mushrooms, like Russian vodka, caviar, and blini, are an essential element to the Russian diet. Russian mushrooms have replaced meat during Lent, rescued populations from starvation during times of famine, and commanded high prices on the international market. Mushrooms feature as main or complementary ingredients in the dishes of Russian traditional food. Pickled, dried, or fresh, they are worked into delicious recipes like tempting mushroom strudel.

Mushrooms make their way to Russian tables by way of hard work and cooperative effort. Mushroom hunting often involves whole families (and maybe their guests, too), and most of the time it is a way to enjoy nature with loved ones – though the act of mushroom hunting is so ingrained in Russian culture that Russian mushroom hunters have even been known to risk their lives to gather the edible fungi! The knowledge might seem esoteric to non-Russians, but it is not uncommon for a Russian person to know how, when, and where to gather mushrooms, as well as what types of mushrooms are desirable (and, alternatively, which ones are poisonous). Russians have been perfecting the art of mushroom hunting for centuries, and members of the Russian diaspora have carried the tradition with to the States and other countries.

Yuri Zhirkov’s Switch To Chelsea From CSKA Moscow Still In The Balance

2009-07-17T00:10:00.000-07:00

According to Russian daily Sport Express, CSKA Moscow’s 25-year-old full-back Yuri Zhirkov was due to arrive in London on Wednesday of this week to sign for Chelsea for around €20 million. He didn’t, and so has not yet become Carlo Ancelotti’s first major signing for the west London club.

And while CSKA president Yevgeny Giner has admitted that his club are in talks with Chelsea, Ancelotti’s former club AC Milan are now said to have indicated an interest in signing the player.

In fact, as well as the Rossoneri, Zhirkov has also been linked with Liverpool and Arsenal – although Chelsea remain the favourites, former coach Guus Hiddink having apparently advised Blues owner Roman Abramovich to sign the attacking defender known as the ‘Russian Ronaldinho’.

Russian Food - Caviar

2009-05-20T06:51:00.000-07:00

Caviar is the quintessential luxury food which everyone has heard of and admires. There is no single “best” caviar; although everyone has a favorite.

Beluga

The Beluga is the largest sturgeon, weighing up to two thousand pounds and at lengths of more than fifteen feet. The female beluga sturgeon takes up to twenty-five years to mature and produce eggs. Beluga caviar is the largest grain caviar and varies in color from light to dark gray. These Beluga pearls are the most delicate and have a mild buttery flavor.

Osetra

The Osetra sturgeon is smaller than the Beluga and weighs from fifty to two hundred pounds. The female Osetra require up to ten years to produce eggs and offer medium grain caviar of a light to dark brown color with golden highlights. These eggs are firmer in contrast to Beluga and have a nutty flavor. Golden Osetra caviar is a rare form of Osetra that is golden yellow in color and has abundantly rich flavor.

Sevruga

The Sevruga sturgeon is smaller than the Osetra and most weigh under forty pounds. Female Sevruga mature after seven years and produce a small grain caviar. Sevruga caviar is light to dark gray in color and has a distinctively strong intense flavor.

Russian Tea

2009-05-06T04:26:00.001-07:00

Russians are great tea drinkers and make as much fuss over their tea as the British. Before the onslaught of imported flavoured teas, Russians would eagerly add mint, cherry and walnut leaves to their tea to give it an extra dimmension.

Piping hot green tea is a popular favourite and other varieties include ‘kvas’ made from rye bread, currants and spices, and ‘medovuka’, a mixture of honey, spices and water.

Both are experiencing a comeback thanks in part due to the challenge that is being thrown down by more tradional Russian restaurants and cafe’s in the face of the threat to traditional culture posed by the likes of McDonald’s and CocaCola.