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On Aug. 11, 1959 a Tupolev Tu-104 aircraft flying from Leningrad landed in Sheremetyevo. This day is considered the official birthday of Sheremetyevo International Airport.

On June 1, 1960 the first international flight set off from Sheremetyevo to Berlin Schönefeld Airport. In October 1967 the Ilyushin Il-62 aircraft made the first flight to Paris and in November 1967 the first flight to New York was scheduled.

Today, Sheremetyevo is the largest Russian airport for international flights (more than 200 international destinations). Almost 150 airlines operate here, flying to over 100 countries. Also, it is the country’s largest terminal complex – it has five passenger terminals (terminals А, С, D, E, F). Each year the airport handles more than 30 million passengers and more than 250,000 flights, making it the busiest in Russia.

Read more: Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport has the fastest Wi-Fi in Europe

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 https://www.rbth.com/arts/history/2017/08/11/on-this-day-sheremetyevo-international-airport-was-opened_816846

Russian artist Sergey Samoylov, who works under the pseudonym Samuel Rosto, took a map of Moscow’s Metro, laid it over a map of Westeros and Essos (fictional places from Game of Thrones), and discovered something amazing.

Okhotny Ryad station became King’s Landing. Oldtown is now situated at Universitet Metro, and The Wall hugs the monorail line in the north of the city. His map made waves on Russia’s Internet and many people now refer to the fictional names when telling friends and family where to meet on the subway.

Make sure to check out this map in full size to see the incredible parallels Samoylov has drawn between Moscow and Game of Thrones. Click to enlarge image.

Samuel Rosto

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 https://www.rbth.com/multimedia/2017/08/10/how-moscows-metro-became-part-of-game-of-thrones-820454

Wannabe “roofers” can now scale St. Petersburg’s buildings in safety after the authorities green-lighted the installation of handrails and footpaths on three building tops in the Russian city. People will even be able to get guided tours.

“Roofers”- daredevils who climb knee-jerkingly high buildings and hang off sheer drops without safety gear - have gained massive followings on social media in recent years. They take selfies and panoramic shots over incredible cityscapes from the world’s most iconic structures, before uploading on Instagram and Facebook. The new initiative in St. Petersburg has been frowned upon by real adrenaline junkies, who say it will ruin the “romanticism” of the activity by eliminating the risk factor.

“It’s best to climb rooftops that are not adapted for scaling: It gets the blood pumping and you need to take certain risks which make the experience so exciting,” a Russian roofer, who prefers to remain anonymous, told RBTH.

Climbing on a rooftop certainly involves risks, death being one of them. But it also involves a lot of creativity, intuition, and craftiness. Roofers have to plan their ascents meticulously, study entrances to buildings, plan quick exit routes in case the police arrive (it’s illegal after all), and sometimes find/steal keys to unlock doors.

But the rogue city climbers don’t think they are harming anyone by doing what they love. “It’s simply not possible for the police or local residents to cause us any trouble: We are very quiet when climbing roofs and try not to bother people. Besides, they will never know the paths we know about,” the unidentified man added.

Despite the roofers disapproval, the public can now scale St. Petersburg's buildings safe in the knowledge they aren’t breaking the law - or putting their lives in serious peril.

Read more: St. Petersburg's 7th sky: Who lives on the city's roofs?>>>

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Whale stuck in a river mouth / Sergey Dolya

Ever tried squeezing through a gap (or a tight pair of jeans) and getting stuck, realizing far too late that you are in fact way too big? Well, this Greenland right whale - or Russian whale to Americans - found itself caught between a rock and a hard place after getting jammed in a river mouth on Big Shantar Island, in Russia’s Khabarovsk Region.

Whale during the tide / Sergey Dolya

The river mouth is located in the Preserve Priamurye national park and workers there are desperately trying to get the whale back to the ocean. They are pumping water over the aquatic beast as it lies stranded with the belly of its 13 meter tall body beached on the riverbed.

The whale is so big that it simply isn’t able to turn around and escape. Experts say it may have swam to the river while trying to escape orcas (Killer whales).

Whale isn't able to turn around and escape / Sergey Dolya

It’s thought there are about 10,000 Greenland right whales (also known as Bowhead whales) in the wild, and about 400 live in the cold Arctic waters including the Sea of Okhotsk. They frequently come very close to the Shantar Islands, a protected area with a variety of rare animals from brown bears to sables and rare sea birds.

Let’s hope those working to save the big guy get him out very soon.

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 https://www.rbth.com/arts/lifestyle/2017/08/10/giant-whale-gets-stuck-in-a-river-mouth-in-russias-far-east_820342

A Russian spy plane was seen flying over Washington on Aug. 9. According to the Pentagon, the Tu-154 aircraft looked down from an altitude of one km above the White House. Was Moscow allowed to do this? Yes. In 2002 the Treaty of Open Skies was signed by 34 countries who agreed to let each member fly unarmed surveillance aircraft in one another’s airspace.

The nations locked into the pact can gather bird’s eye intelligence information about foreign territories and structures - at short notice. The deal was rubberstamped to ensure cooperation and understanding in a bid to prevent future conflict.

NATO troops in central Moscow

In 2010 another seemingly provocative act occurred, although it was actually all done in good spirits. For the first time in history, around 1,000 NATO soldiers march alongside Russian military personnel through central Moscow as part of commemoration ceremonies marking the 65th anniversary of the end of WWII.

Can you imagine this many soldiers from countries including the U.S., UK, France, and Poland joining over 10,000 Russian servicemen on Red Square in today’s political climate?

Destruction of nuclear weapons

A thaw in Russian-U.S. military cooperation took place at the end of the Cold War, when many important disarmament treaties were signed.

For example, in 1991 Moscow and Washington agreed to shake hands over the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), a bilateral agreement that prevented the countries from deploying more than 6,000 nuclear warheads and 1,600 inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM) - as well as strategic bombers and nuclear submarines.

“Thanks to START both Russian and American experts received coordinates of missile silos in each other’s countries. We even let U.S. experts track our newest ‘Topol-M’ ICBM from factories to the silos to uphold the bilateral policy of nuclear deterrence,” Vadim Kozulin, a professor at the Academy of Military Science, told RBTH.

Russian experts also ventured to U.S to monitor the same activity.

Today we live in the epoch of the third START treaty designed to further reduce the number of deadly weapons on the planet. America and Russia are now only allowed to store 1,550 warheads in their armory and deploy no more than 700 ICBM, nuclear submarines, and strategic bombers.

Liquidation of chemical weapons

The original idea was that countries should help potential adversaries get rid of their most disastrous weapons.

Such arguments were put forward in the U.S. Congress by Democratic Senator for the State of Georgia Sam Nunn, who argued that if Russia destroyed its weapons of mass destruction then America would be safe.

He got his point across, as Washington pumped hundreds of millions of dollars not only into the distraction of their own chemical weapons, but also of those belonging to Russia and other former Soviet nations.

Up to this point, Russia has eliminated 99 percent of its chemical weapons arsenals and will finish the final one percent by the end of this fall. America’s forbidden armory won’t be destroyed until the early 2020s.  

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Russia’s 'flying tank' will join Egypt’s navy

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The Kalinin bridge, the location of a legendary fight of the Russian bogatyrs against Zmey Gorynych / Igor Ozhiganov

These stunning pictures of Slavic mythological characters were created by a Russian artist from Yoshkar-Ola in the Mari El Republic in Russia’s eastern reaches.

The sirin, a mythological creature with the head and chest of a beautiful woman and the body of a bird / Igor Ozhiganov

Born in 1975, Igor Ozhiganov studied industrial design at the Volga Region State University of Service in Tolyatti before moving to Moscow from 1999 to 2008 - where he worked in design.  

Svarog, the Slavic god of the blacksmith / Igor Ozhiganov

Igor creates the illustrations as a hobby, not because of money. Since he returned to his hometown in 2008, he’s mainly worked as an interior designer.  

Bereginya, the Slavic deity that protects only worthy men / Igor Ozhiganov

“When I published my works online, I didn’t expect them to get so much attention as there are already all kinds of fantasy and similar graphics on the topic,” he told RBTH.

Chernobog, or the Black God, a Slavic evil deity that brings destruction / Igor Ozhiganov

Igor is a big fan of Nordic cultures so his illustrations are heavily inspired by Slavic and Scandinavian mythology. By enhancing his hand drawings with computer effects he aims to achieve a mystical, almost trippy effect.

The thirty-three sea bogatyrs and the mighty Prince Gvidon, characters from Alexander Pushkin's 'The Tale of the Tsar Saltan' / Igor Ozhiganov

“The time spent on each illustration is always different,” he says. “Everything depends on my mood, so I can’t work to serve particular orders. I create illustrations for calendars and postcards that I release with my friends independently.”

Perun, the highest god of the Slavic pantheon and the god of thunder and lightning / Igor Ozhiganov

The artist also says he doesn’t consider himself to be a true professional. He just loves to draw.

Morana, the Slavic goddess associated with seasonal rites based on the idea of death and rebirth of nature / Igor Ozhiganov

“More often than not I catch myself thinking that I do it more for myself than for the public interest,” he admits. “When I draw, my emotions become very strong and it feels like I dive into the picture – this is really awesome.”

Zhiva, the Slavic goddess of life and fertility / Igor Ozhiganov

He has many stories on his mind but usually music helps Igor to come up with a particular idea for an illustration. “For me, the main objective is to transfer the goosebumps that I feel listening to my favorite music to the picture that I draw.”

Stribog, the god of winds and stroms / Igor Ozhiganov

His works have many fans and some of them even ask the artist if he does tattoo work. “It just so happens that many of those who like my illustrations also like to get tattoos, but I don’t do it out of  principle,” he says.

An episode from Alexander Pushkin's 'Ruslan and Lyudmila' poem where Ruslan meets a head of a giant bogatyr / Igor Ozhiganov

The artist from Yoshkar-Ola does does not like publicity but will still continue to release his works online.

Read More:  

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Glittering installations at a Moscow park will take your breath away

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Fidget spinners are taking the world by storm at the moment. Everyone is obsessed with the little gadgets, from hipsters to...St.Petersburg officials. Yep, one of the city’s municipalities has officially ordered no less than 70 (just in case - they are rotating toys with a bearing in the center and small weights on three blades). The order was published on the website tracking state purchases.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s by no means a costly purchase. A total of 7,116 rubles ($118.6) is to be spent (101.67 rubles/$1.6 for each toy) but the Russian public might be a little perplexed given there are potholes to be filled and repairs to be made. Apparently the fidget spinners are needed for a special lottery, which is part of a public celebration.

Despite the fact the toys were developed back in the nineties, Russia and the rest of the world have suddenly gone wild for them in 2017. Lone sellers on underpasses, petrol stations, tiny shops - everyone is looking to cash in on the latest craze.

Recently, Russian jewelry company Caviar announced a series of luxury spinners. The most expensive one is going to be made entirely out of gold and will retail for a whopping 999,000 rubles ($16,866). Russians will be hoping those St. Petersburg officials don’t get any ideas...

Read more:

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One way ticket to Hogwarts: St. Petersburg cyclists discover Platform 9 ¾

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 https://www.rbth.com/business/2017/08/10/why-did-russian-officials-order-70-fidget-spinners_820170

WiFi is available and free underground / Pavel Golovkin/TASS

It’s something we know you’ve been dying to ask: Just how much porn do Russians watch on the subway? Thankfully, some people with no shortage of time on their hands conducted a study to find out the answer to this very pressing concern.

Russian Internet giant Yandex (still battling it out with Google to be the most used search engine in the country) did some research to find out what Russians look up on their phones while commuting underground. FYI: WiFi is available and free on Moscow’s Metro – since 2014.

It turns out the most popular search entry is related to something far less boring than porn – information technology…

Yes, Russians are not the sex-crazed maniacs you thought they were. Instead, they prefer to look up websites about programming and computers while on the subway (these topics are searched for twice as much underground than above in Moscow). It's a bit of an anticlimax.

Timeline of most popular search queries from the Metro:

/ Yandex / Alexander Kislov

Porn and escort services appeared at the other end of the graph – with search rates nearly halving compared to when people are not on the Metro. Yandex also found out that search engine entries change as the day wears on. For example, in the morning dream and prayer books are sought online, while passengers tend to look up routes to particular places (maps, streets, etc.) and things like museums, cinemas, and shopping malls a little later on, and as evening nears people start thinking about their stomachs: Will they cook or get something delivered?

So Moscow’s seedy underbelly perhaps isn’t that seedy.

Yandex checked more than 300,000 queries a day on Moscow’s subway. The company found that the number of searches surged between 7:40 – 9:40 a.m. and 5:20 – 7:50 p.m. Absolutely fascinating. So next time you’re on the Metro and some greasy looking guy – or girl – is smirking at their screen, there're probably not watching porn...or did they download it in advance?

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Joseph Stalin ruled the USSR longer than any other communist leader. His reign started with a triumph over rival party leaders following Vladimir Lenin’s death in 1924, and ended when he died of a stroke on March 5, 1953.

While he was alive, none among Stalin’s companions dared challenge his authority – everyone remembered the miserable fate of those who fell out of Stalin’s grace. But as soon as the leader died, his closest allies started to share his legacy.

Brief alliance

Since no one in the Soviet elite was powerful enough to concentrate power in their hands just like Stalin, the three most influential officials formed a triumvirate, with each controlling one branch of power.

Georgy Malenkov, who had been Stalin’s deputy, headed the government and became the Premier of the Soviet Union; meanwhile, Nikita Khrushchev, the former leader of Soviet Ukraine, was in charge of the Communist Party.

As for the notorious secret police executioner, Lavrenty Beria, who also oversaw the Soviet nuclear program, he remained Interior Minister, retaining control of the secret services. As Stalin’s Georgian compatriot and perhaps his closest henchman, Beria headed the dread NKVD from 1938 to 1945, and carried out ruthless repressions during and after World War II.

Both Malenkov and Khrushchev were afraid that Beria would get rid of them first, so they decided to strike before he could.

Fall of the sinister Minister

Lavrenty P. Beria. / AP

In the summer of 1953, Beria’s position as NKVD chief seemed strong. However, Malenkov and Khrushchev attacked unexpectedly. In June 1953, after he returned from a trip to East Germany, Beria was detained.

During a plenum of the Communist Party’s Central Committee, all high-ranking party members denounced Beria as the architect of the repressions, (which was true), and a British spy (which was not).

While listing the atrocities of the Stalin era, the officials hardly mentioned Stalin. According to the charges, it was all Beria’s fault. He had no chance to defend himself and was executed the same year. And so he repeated the fate of his NKVD predecessors under Stalin - Genrikh Yagoda, and Nikolai Yezhov.

Old Guard attacks Khrushchev

Georgy Malenkov. / Global Look Press

After Beria’s fall, Khrushchev and Malenkov turned their guns against each other. As historian Alexander Pyzhikov points out in his book, Khrushchev’s Thaw, Malenkov was far less charismatic and active than Khrushchev, so he lost. In 1955, during yet another plenum, he was suspended from the premier’s post.

The fight was not over, however. Malenkov made a new alliance with Stalin’s two other long-time comrades: Vyacheslav Molotov, a Foreign Minister known for signing the Soviet-German Non-aggression Pact in 1939; and Lazar Kaganovich.

Together, they initiated a vote on Khrushchev’s resignation from the post of party First Secretary during a government meeting in 1957. Khrushchev had a lot to be criticized for; for example, his unrealistic promises to overtake America as a milk and meat producer. And so, the three almost won.

None were innocent

Nikita Khrushchev addressing a rally. / RIA Novosti

Cunning Khrushchev, however, rescheduled the vote to take place on… yes, another plenum of the Central Committee; this time in June 1957. Supported by young party members, including Leonid Brezhnev, Khrushchev turned the discussion of his mistakes into a dispute about the crimes of the 1930s and 1940s. Once again, Khrushchev’s supporters strongly criticized the Old Guard for repression and bloodshed.

They had a point: Malenkov, Molotov and Kaganovich were seriously involved in killing innocent people. But Khrushchev, who harshly criticized the ‘anti-Party three’ - as Malenkov, Molotov and Kaganovich were referred to after the plenum - was no better.

When asked by Kaganovich, “And what about you? Didn’t you sign execution papers in Ukraine?” he just kept silent.

Anyway, Khrushchev won, and the ‘anti-party three’ lost. Times were now milder than during Stalin’s rule so no one was executed, nor jailed, but instead, allowed to live as pensioners.

As for Khrushchev, he ruled the USSR for another seven years, only to be overthrown in 1964 by those young members of the Party who supported him in 1957. He ended his years in political oblivion, writing memoirs and complaining about the treachery of his former friends. 

Read more:

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Russia's Year Zero: The true story behind the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 
Seek and destroy: 3 detested Soviet enemies hunted and killed abroad
Soviet censorship: How did the USSR control the public?

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