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Culture Top 30 Russian villains in Hollywood blockbusters (PHOTOS)

Some are small-time con artists running street scams. Others are true monsters trying to destroy the entire world.

History How the children of Russian Emperors got up to mischief

Despite the barracks discipline and strict daily routine, even royal offspring had a childhood full of ordinary pranks, quarrels and mischief, sometimes even exceeding the bounds of what was deemed acceptable.

Culture How a GYPSY Theater came to be in the USSR (PHOTOS)

"Russian Gypsies", along with ballet, have long been Russia's "cultural ambassadors" to the world.

Culture Meet Kirill Sokolov, the latest Russian to gatecrash Hollywood (PHOTOS)

He studied under Nobel laureate Zhores Alferov, but chose cinema rather than physics as his career. Now, he's making his Hollywood debut: Sokolov's thriller ‘They will kill you’ starring Heather Graham, Tom Felton and others will premiere worldwide on March 25, 2026.

History How the first PET cemetery appeared in Tsarist Russia (PHOTOS)

Members of the Russian imperial family loved animals and often kept domesticated dogs, cats and birds near them. They were also buried nearby.

History How a close associate of Nicholas II's family became a Soviet comedic actor

"Alexei could be capricious, lose his temper and even throw a tantrum, but he didn't dare utter a peep in front of his father," Grigory Pinkovsky wrote of the heir to the throne.

Travel 10 ideas for the most UNUSUAL trips across Russia (PHOTOS)

If you’ve already thoroughly explored Moscow, St. Petersburg and the cities along the ‘Golden Ring’, then this list is for you!

Culture What Russian classic writers thought about SNOW

“Not snow, but utter filth,” complained Korney Chukovsky, while a snowstorm inspired Alexander Blok to write his poem ‘The Twelve’.

Culture 'Ponies': How realistic is Moscow & USSR in the new Peacock TV spy series?

Actress Emilia Clarke, famous for playing Daenerys Targaryen in the ‘Game of Thrones’ TV show, takes the lead role in the new series, set in the USSR during the Cold War. And, yes, you'll hear her swear in Russian. Well, kinda…

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Russian picture dictionary: At the university

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5 Russian words to use instead of swearing! (VIDEO)

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Education

What does the expression «so life wouldn't seem like a raspberry» mean?

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Education

Overlooked Russian greats: Sechenov

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Education

This linguist could teach anyone any language in just a few hours

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Education

Why is a Dominican student learning Russian? (VIDEO)

Russian Literature

House-Museum of Mikhail Prishvin

How writer Mikhail Prishvin built the first Soviet motorhome (PHOTOS)

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How Vladimir Mayakovsky once wrote a script for a French film

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5 most QUOTED works of Russian literature

10 reasons why Pushkin is so great

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100 MAIN Russian books that everyone should read

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Best of Russia

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Travel

How Russian cities decorated for the 2026 New Year (PHOTOS)

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Travel

Solovetsky Islands: A journey into Russian history (PHOTOS)

Anna Sorokina

Travel

What's inside the most BEAUTIFUL house in old Moscow?

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Where to find 'Gateway to Russia' on social media

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Lifestyle

4 social media accounts recommended by ‘Gateway to Russia’

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Basic facts

34 incredible UNESCO sites located in Russia (PHOTOS)

Russian Cinema

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5 movies in which FALL is one of the main ‘characters’

P. Arsenov/The film studio named after Gorky, 1985

10 BEST Soviet & Russian movies about school

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7 screen adaptations of Soviet science fiction writers Arkady & Boris Strugatsky

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8 UNDERRATED Soviet movies

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10 Russian movies that won awards at Cannes

Russia 101

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Plan your trip

Q&A: What to do if your foreign SIM card doesn't work in Russia?

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Plan your trip

The MOST important phone numbers, addresses & websites for your trip to Russia

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How to get a Russian visa in Canada

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Why foreigners need to submit biometric data in Russia & how

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How to travel across Russia: A guide for foreign tourists

History

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How was New Year's Eve celebrated under the Russian empresses?

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How the first Moscow Kremlin New Year’s tree was staged (PHOTOS)

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What was going on in Russia during the fall of Constantinople in 1453?

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How Canada's Prime Minister once visited Soviet Norilsk

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How tall were Russian rulers? (INFOGRAPHIC)

The Most Russian American

Checking out New Year’s decorations in a Russian store (VIDEO)

What you should know about New Year's in Russia (VIDEO)

Why visit the VDNKh Park in Moscow? (VIDEO)

There's a whole airplane in the Moscow metro! (VIDEO)

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How the children of Russian Emperors got up to mischief

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4 Orthodox Saints who students in the Russian Empire prayed to (PICS)

Gateway to Russia (Photo: Zoonar RF/Getty Images, Sylvester Stallone/United Artists, Chartoff-Winkler Productions, 1985, Rob Cohen/Columbia Pictures, Revolution Studios, 2002, Chad Stahelski, David Leitch/Thunder Road Pictures, 87Eleven, Productions, MJW Films, DefyNite Films, 2014, Antoine Fuqua/Columbia Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, LStar, Capital, Escape Artists, Mace Neufeld Productions, Zhiv Productions, 2014, Darren Aronofsky/Protozoa Pictures, 2025, David Cronenberg/BBC Films, Astral Media, Corus Entertainment, Telefilm Canada, Kudos Pictures, Serendipity Point Films, Scion Films, Focus Features, 2007, Guy Ritchie/SKA Films, Screen Gems, 2000, Steven Spielberg/Lucasfilm Ltd., 2008, Wolfgang Petersen/Sony Pictures Releasing, Buena Vista International, 1997, Jon Favreau/Marvel Studios, 2010, Sean Baker/FilmNation Entertainment, CreFilm, 2024, Ilya Naishuller/87North Productions, Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment, Eighty Two Films, Perfect World Pictures, 2021)

Top 30 Russian villains in Hollywood blockbusters (PHOTOS)

Kira Polyudova

Russian picture dictionary: At the university

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How a GYPSY Theater came to be in the USSR (PHOTOS)

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Meet Kirill Sokolov, the latest Russian to gatecrash Hollywood (PHOTOS)

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How the first PET cemetery appeared in Tsarist Russia (PHOTOS)

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Learn the Russian alphabet really quickly! Part 1 (VIDEO)

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5 ways to show a lack of surprise in Russian (VIDEO)

5 Russian words to use instead of swearing! (VIDEO)

Public domain

How a close associate of Nicholas II's family became a Soviet comedic actor

Kira Lisitskaya (Photo: mikkelwilliam, Richard Clark/Getty Images)

What does the expression «so life wouldn't seem like a raspberry» mean?

Yury Smityuk / TASS

10 ideas for the most UNUSUAL trips across Russia (PHOTOS)

Archive photo

How the USSR tried to build a subterrene

Gateway to Russia (Photo: Birchbark Literacy from Medieval Rus (CC BY 1.0), Grigory Sysoyev/TASS)

This linguist could teach anyone any language in just a few hours

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Tricky letters in the Russian alphabet are… (VIDEO)

Kira Polyudova (Photo: Public Domain, Unsplash)

Overlooked Russian greats: Sechenov

Why did Stalin promote a simple captain to general? (VIDEO)

Where tradition lives on (VIDEO)

Gateway to Russia (Photo: David Sacks/Getty Images, Sputnik, Public domain)

What Russian classic writers thought about SNOW

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