Russia
Amateur footage of the Moscow airport bombing
Saint-Petersburg's killer icicles
Rope jumping: even better than Russian roulette
Young Russians have found a new way to add a little spice to their life: rope jumping. This unauthorised extreme sport is not unlike bungee jumping, except for two significant details: you don’t jump in an open, natural space, but off a city rooftop. And you don’t use an elastic cord, but a mountain climbing rope. Read more and watch the videos...
What’s it like living in the coldest city in the world?
For the people in Yakutsk, Siberia, where the temperature last week week fell to -47°C, icy floors and frost bite are just a part of daily life. But the rigors of winter don't stop the city from functionning: shops are open, buses run, even children play in the park. Read our Observer's account and see the photos...
Russia’s ‘one-man Wikileaks’ uncovers massive gas company fraud
In Russia, the findings of a young whistleblower lawyer concerning the rampant corruption of major state-affiliated companies have made much bigger waves than the recent tsunami of Wikileaks revelations. Read more…
One step too far for Russia’s police-bashing radical artists
They got away with releasing cockroaches into a courtroom and painting a massive penis on a city-centre drawbridge, but on 15 November three members of radical art collective Voina (War) were finally called to order after turning over a Saint Petersburg police car. One of their fellow radicals explains…
Russian outcry over Muslim animal sacrifice
On November 16, millions of Muslims all over Russia celebrated the religious holiday of Qurban Bayram (the Turkik name of Eid al-Adha), which closes with the ritual sacrifice of a sheep. The killings, sometimes carried out in public spaces shock and anger some non-Muslim Russians. Read more...
Video guide: how to avoid election fraud in Russia
Allegations of electoral fraud are widespread in Russia, where Vladimir Putin’s party, United Russia, repeatedly wins elections by a suspiciously large margin. But footage shot by an electoral observer at recent local elections show how he and others are doing their utmost to combat electoral fraud. Read more...
Will Moscow finally get rid of the ‘world's ugliest statue’?
Censored Russian artist threatens to boycott Louvre exhibition
Moscow backtracked on Friday from its initial refusal to allow provocative anti-government artist Avdey Ter-Oganian exhibit his work in France's Louvre museum. But Ter-Oganian told FRANCE 24 he will not take part in the exhibition until Russia ends its persecution of opposition artists. Read more...
