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Culture How did Leo Tolstoy look for his love?

The writer's wife occupies a special place in the history of Russian culture. As Gorky wrote, she was given a unique role – the only intimate friend of Lev Nikolayevich, the mother of his children, the mistress of a large house and the wife of one of the most complex and talented people of the 19th-20th centuries. This is the story of how they met.

Travel 10 facts about the Moscow Metro you should know

The Russian capital's subway opened in 1935 and has since grown dozens of times.

History How did the ‘Soviet NATO’ appear?

On May 14, 1955, in the capital of Poland, European socialist countries signed a treaty of friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance. Thus, the Warsaw Pact Organization was created.

History What Russia was like in 1995 (PHOTOS)

A new democracy, Boris Yeltsin, spontaneous illegal street trading and the unique fashion of the wild 1990s. So, what else was the country living through exactly 30 years ago?

Culture 5 songs by Andrei Eshpai the entire USSR sang

How the son of a Mari and a Chuvash made the Russian soul sing – the legendary composer would have turned 100 years old on May 15, 2025.

History How the USSR saved Mongolia from Japan (PHOTOS)

Grateful for saving the country, the Mongols provided the USSR with enormous assistance in the fight against Nazi Germany.

Culture 10 Russian movies that won awards at Cannes

Soviet director Sergei Yutkevich was a member of the Cannes jury three times and his movies twice won the ‘Best Director’ prize. Find out about what other Russian movies were favorites on the Côte d'Azur.

Lifestyle How one Englishman moved to Russia seeking ‘traditional values’

Russia’s new residency pathway for foreigners who claim to “share its spiritual and moral values” has already attracted hundreds of applicants.

History How is the double-headed eagle from the Russian coat of arms different from the others?

The double-headed eagle as the state emblem of Russia appeared more than 500 years ago. But, there are other countries whose coats of arms also depict this heraldic bird

Russian Language Playground

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Education

Russian wordlists: Cinema

Kira Polyudova

Education

Russian picture dictionary: Red Square

Education

Learn some Russian restaurant vocabulary (VIDEO)

Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: fotostorm/Getty Images; Jacques-Louis David; Freepik.com)

Education

What does the expression “to sit in a puddle” mean?

Legion Media

Education

Russian kitchen ABCs: Yogurt

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Education

Kamchatka Krai in 3 Russian words

80 Years of Victory

How Soviet troops finished off Germany & Japan in 1945 (VIDEO)

How the Red Army inflicted a Soviet-style blitzkrieg on the Nazis in 1944 (VIDEO)

How the Soviet Union turned the tide of World War II in 1943 (VIDEO)

How the USSR found itself on the brink of disaster in 1942 (VIDEO)

Russian Literature

Georgy Petrusov/MAMM/MDF

10 must-read Soviet books about World War II

Yevgeny Odinokov / Sputnik

9 most beautiful Russian libraries (PHOTOS)

Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: Alexander Kott/Central Partnership, 2006; Tom Harper/BBC, 2016; freepik.com)

5 MAIN 'Don Juans' of Russian literature (PICS)

Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: A.Savin, Wikipedia; Public domain; Yuri Belinsky/TASS)

Pushkin House: A place where Russian literature lives

Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: Public domain; CSA Images/Getty Images; Tretyakov Gallery)

100 MAIN Russian books that everyone should read

Best of Russia

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Lifestyle

Where to find 'Gateway to Russia' on social media

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Culture

5 most FAMOUS male Russian ballet dancers (PHOTOS)

Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts

Culture

30 masterpieces of the Pushkin Museum's Gallery of European & American Countries that you must see (PHOTOS)

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Lifestyle

4 social media accounts recommended by ‘Gateway to Russia’

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Travel

10 reasons to visit Russia this spring

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Basic facts

33 incredible UNESCO sites located in Russia (PHOTOS)

Russian Cinema

Mikhail Kalatozov/Mosfilm, 1957

How a French director helped the movie ‘The Cranes Are Flying’ get to Cannes

Ekaterina Сhesnokova / Sputnik

Meet ‘White Lotus’ star Yuri Kolokolnikov

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Meet actor Mark Eidelstein, the Russian star of the TV show ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ (PHOTOS)

TOP 10 Soviet detective movies you can watch free ONLINE

Georgy Danelia/Mosfilm, 1975

10 underrated Soviet movies to watch ONLINE FOR FREE!

Russia 101

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Plan your trip

How to get a driver's license in Russia as a foreigner

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Plan your trip

How to get from Pulkovo Airport (LED) to central St. Petersburg

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Plan your trip

How to travel across Russia: A guide for foreign tourists

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Plan your trip

10 useful APPS for travelling across Russia in 2025

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Visa help

How to get a Russian visa in 2025?

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Visa help

Russian e-visa: FAQ & handy guide (PICS)

History

Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

How the USSR saved Mongolia from Japan (PHOTOS)

Dorofey Getmanenko/Sputnik

How did the ‘Soviet NATO’ appear?

What are these giant statues doing in the middle of nowhere?

Courtesy of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts

How the Pushkin Museum in Moscow saved masterpieces during World War II (PHOTOS)

How a Soviet tanker almost destroyed a German armored train with a ram (VIDEO)

The Most Russian American

30 years in Russia: how a Jordanian provides treatment for Russians (VIDEO)

Love for ballet led a Japanese girl to Russia (VIDEO)

Why I returned to Russia after 20 years in Germany (VIDEO)

Tim Kirby; Litres

How Tim Kirby became ‘the most Russian American’

More stories

How to make a Russian woman happy? (VIDEO)

Alexander Kislov, Natalya Nosova

The Russian language case system is one of the most difficult to learn

How do Russians get fit? (VIDEO)

Andrei Apoev / Getty Images

Russian wordlists: Cinema

Learn how Russian suffixes change the meaning of a word! (VIDEO)

Vitaly Timkiv / Sputnik

Buckwheat with meat: Nostalgic Soviet-era camping food

Yasnaya Polyana Estate Museum

How did Leo Tolstoy look for his love?

Marina Yurchenko / Sputnik

9 children's yard games that were loved in the USSR

Kira Polyudova

Russian picture dictionary: Red Square

t.me/smotri_65

Scenic views of Sakhalin Island (VIDEO)

Learn some Russian restaurant vocabulary (VIDEO)

30 years in Russia: how a Jordanian provides treatment for Russians (VIDEO)

Love for ballet led a Japanese girl to Russia (VIDEO)

What does the Russian idiom ‘the case is in the hat’ mean? (VIDEO)

Vika Andreeva

Welcome to the COLDEST town on Earth (VIDEO)

Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: paul fisher, Victor Habbick Visions/Getty Images)

How a Soviet geologist hunted for BIGFOOT in the Far North

@ivanova_art

Every beautiful terem house starts with a sketch (VIDEO)

Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: fotostorm/Getty Images; Jacques-Louis David; Freepik.com)

What does the expression “to sit in a puddle” mean?

scaliger / Getty Images

10 facts about the Moscow Metro you should know

In the grip of glaciers (VIDEO)

About the project Terms of Use

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Created with the financial support of the Ministry of Digital Development, Communications, and Mass Media of the Russian Federation.

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