During the 70 years of the existence of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the number of constituent parts changed, but most of the time there were 15 of them. Here is the list.

Throughout the filming of Come and See, real bullets were used. At times, they flew just above the heads of actors, making their terrified looks genuine. And the scene where machine gun fire takes ...

Raisa Semenovna, 89, former employee of the USSR Ministry of the Chemical Industry At the Ministry of the Chemical Industry I was in charge of the oversight of the state technical standards (known ...

The most ancient form of the Russian military formation (9th–11th centuries) was the druzhina, a band of experienced warriors presided over by a knyaz (prince). At first, the druzhina was a ...

Theater was a source of palpable joy and jubilation to the tall, handsome and charismatic Konstantin Stanislavsky. A foremost actor, director and theater practitioner, he devoted his entire life ...

The main weapon of Grand Prince Ivan III of Moscow was not his men or his tactics, but Italian cannons. In the historical stand-off against the Tatars, led by Ahmed, Khan of the Great Horde, at ...

Starting in the 1960s, the USSR was a net grain importer. For example, in 1963, it bought 10.4 million tons of grain and 2.1 million tons of flour from the U.S. Furthermore, the amount of imports ...

This crossover is one of the most inexpensive cars in its class in Russia. Its price ranges from 1.2 million rubles ($17,000) to about 2 million rubles for the top version ($28,000). “Many Creta ...

To begin with, the bear is not a symbol of Russia and has never been one, at least officially. The official symbol of Russia today is a double-headed eagle (the one depicted on the Russian ...

R504 Kolyma Highway isn’t a popular destination on Russia’s map, which attracts mostly only thrill-seeking tourists. The highway is covered with a mix of dirt and gravel, so traveling here is ...

The KGB was known for its highly creative methods for eavesdropping on the U.S. embassy personnel in Moscow. Once, Soviet agents modified typewriters used by the embassy staff. “Inside that ...

Bliny are known as one of the main traditional Russian dishes. There are many variations: sweet, salty, with topping, crepe cakes or pies, crepe-rolls. All can be served with all kinds of ...