Life in Russia

[Lunesoleil]

Christmas Story - The Witch Baba Yaga( Russia)

In a village in the Russian countryside lived a little girl who no longer had a mother. Her father remarried, but chose a wicked woman. She hated the little girl and treated her badly. "How can I get rid of this child?" thought the stepmother. One day, when her husband had gone to the market to sell wheat, she said to the little girl: "Go to my sister, your kind aunt, and ask her for a needle and thread to sew you a shirt."

The little girl put on her pretty red kerchief and set off. On the way, she said to herself, how clever she was: "First I'll go and ask my real nice aunt, my real mommy's sister, for advice." Her aunt received her kindly.
Auntie," said the little girl, "Daddy's new wife sent me to her sister to ask for a needle and thread to sew me a shirt. But first, I came to ask you for some good advice.
- And you were right. Your stepmother's sister is none other than Baba-Yaga, the cruel ogress! But listen to me: there's a birch tree in her garden that wants to whip your eyes with its branches, so tie a ribbon around its trunk. You'll see a big squeaky gate that wants to close by itself, so put some oil on its hinges. Dogs will want to eat you, so throw them some bread. Finally, you'll see a cat who'll poke your eyes out, so give him a piece of ham.
- Thank you, Auntie," replied the little girl.
She walked for a long time, and finally arrived at Baba-Yaga's house. Baba-Yaga was weaving. "Hello, Auntie.
- Hello, niece.
- My mother sent me to ask you for a needle and thread so she can sew me a shirt.
- Well, I'll go and get you a straight needle and some white thread. In the meantime, sit in my chair and weave.
The little girl set to work. She was very happy.
Suddenly, she heard Baba-Yaga say to her servant in the courtyard: "Heat the bath and wash my niece thoroughly. I want to eat her for dinner."
The little girl trembled with fear. She saw the servant enter and bring in logs, bundles and buckets full of water. Then she tried to put on a friendly, cheerful voice, and said to the maid: "Hey, maid, split less wood, and to bring the water, use a colander instead!" And she gave her her pretty red kerchief.
The little girl looked around. A bright fire was beginning to blaze in the fireplace, and the water was beginning to sing in the cauldron, and although it was ogress water, it sang a lovely song.

But Baba-Yaga was getting impatient. From the courtyard, she asked: "Are you weaving, my niece? Are you weaving, my darling?
- I'm weaving, Auntie, I'm weaving."
Without making a sound, the little girl got up, went to the door... But the cat was there, skinny, black, frightening! With his green eyes, he looked into the little girl's blue ones. He was already digging out his claws to gouge them out. But she gave him a piece of ham and asked softly: "Tell me, please, how can I escape Baba-Yaga?"

The cat first ate the whole piece of ham, then smoothed his whiskers and replied: "Take this comb and towel and run away. Baba-Yaga will come after you. Stick your ear to the ground, and if you hear her coming, throw away the towel, and you'll see! If she's still chasing you, stick your ear to the ground again, and when you hear her on the road, throw away the comb, and you'll see!"
The little girl thanked the cat, took the towel and comb, and ran off.

But as soon as she left the house, she saw two dogs even skinnier than the cat, ready to devour her. She threw them some soft bread, and they did her no harm.
Then the big fence creaked and tried to close to prevent her from leaving the enclosure. But as her aunt had told her, she poured a whole can of oil on the hinges, and the gate opened wide to let her through. On the way, the birch whistled and fluttered to whip her eyes. But she tied a red ribbon to its trunk, and the birch greeted her and showed her the way.

She ran, she ran, she ran. Meanwhile, the cat was weaving. From the courtyard, Baba-Yaga asked again: "Are you weaving, my niece? Are you weaving, my darling?
- I'm weaving, my old aunt, I'm weaving," replied the cat in a loud voice."
Furious, Baba-Yaga rushed into the house. No more little girl! She scolded the cat and shouted: "Why didn't you gouge out her eyes, you traitor?
- Eh!" said the cat. I've been in your service for a long time now, and you've never given me the smallest bone, while she's given me ham!"
Baba-Yaga scolded the dogs. Eh!" said the dogs. We've been in your service for a long time, and you've only thrown us one old crust? Whereas she gave us soft bread!"
Baba-Yaga shook the fence. Hey!" said the fence. I've been at your service for a long time now, and you've never put a single drop of oil on my hinges, while she's poured a whole can full of it!"

Baba-Yaga attacked the birch tree. Eh!" said the birch. I've been in your service a long time, and you've never adorned me with a thread, whereas she's adorned me with a beautiful silk ribbon!
- And me," said the maid, who wasn't asked to do anything, "and me, in all the time I've been in your service, I've never received so much as a rag from you, while she's given me a pretty red kerchief!"
Baba-Yaga whistled for her mortar, which arrived belly-down, and she jumped in. Playing with the pestle and covering her tracks with her broom, she dashed after the little girl across the countryside.
The little girl pressed her ear to the ground and heard Baba-Yaga approaching. So she threw down the towel, which turned into a wide river! Baba-Yaga was forced to stop.
She gnashed her teeth, rolled her yellow eyes, ran back to her house, brought her three oxen out of the stable and down to the river. And the oxen drank all the water down to the last drop. Then Baba-Yaga resumed her pursuit.

The little girl was far away. She pressed her ear to the ground. She heard the pestle on the road. She threw the comb, which turned into a dense forest! Baba-Yaga tried to enter it, to saw through the trees with her teeth. But she couldn't! The little girl listened: nothing more. All she could hear was the wind blowing through the forest's green and black fir trees.

Yet she kept running, because it was getting dark, and she thought: "My daddy must think I'm lost.
The old peasant, back from the market, had asked his wife: "Where's the little girl?
- Who knows!" replied the stepmother. I sent her hours ago to run an errand for her aunt. Finally, the little girl, her cheeks all red from running, arrived at her father's house. He asked her:
"Where are you from, little one?
- Ah!" she said. Little Father, my mother sent me to my aunt to get a needle and thread to sew me a shirt, but my aunt is Baba-Yaga, the cruel ogress!
And she told her whole story. The old man was very angry. He beat the stepmother and chased her out of his house, ordering her never to return.

Since then, the little girl and her father have lived in peace. I visited their village, and they invited me to their table. The meal was very good, and everyone was happy.

https://ledixvinsblog.wordpress.com/...a-yaga-russie/

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/jaccocharite/status/1747651754064306245

[Ravenlocke]

The State Anthem of the Russian Federation, performed by various singers at the Russia Day celebration in Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia on 12 June 2015.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=h9RwYPsVpfM

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
The State Anthem of the Russian Federation, performed by various singers at the Russia Day celebration in Sevastopol, Crimea, Russia on 12 June 2015.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=h9RwYPsVpfM

So wonderful.

(Though nothing beats the male choral version in the video below, which always gives me goosebumps even though I'm not Russian at all.) What's notable here is that all Russians are genuinely fiercely proud of their anthem — which can barely be said for any other country in the world.

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=lpyYYB6MSyY

[grapevine]

That was wonderfully stirring Bill and even though I didn't understand the lyrics it was easy to get caught up in the passion and sincerity.

English Translation:
Russia is our sacred state,
Russia is our beloved country.
A mighty will, great glory -
Your dignity for all time!

Be glorified, our free Fatherland,
The age-old union of fraternal peoples,
Ancestor-given wisdom of the people!
Be glorified, country! We are proud of you!

From the southern seas to the polar edge
Our forests and fields are spread out.
You are the only one in the world! You are the only one -
the native land so kept by God!

Be glorified, our free Fatherland,
The age-old union of fraternal peoples,
Ancestor-given wisdom of the people!
Be glorified, country! We are proud of you!

A wide scope for dreams and for life
The coming years open to us.
We are given strength by our fidelity to the Fatherland.
So it was, so it is and it will always be so!

Be glorified, our free Fatherland,
The age-old union of fraternal peoples,
Ancestor-given wisdom of the people!
Be glorified, country! We are proud of you!

In contrast the UK National Anthem seems lacklustre, although "Jerusalem" does the trick and (arguably) fills the British soul with the same fire and verve. I shan't quote the words here though so's not to derail the thread, but here's a link to the Last Night of the Proms 2012 rendition of Jerusalem:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOFHVXE6yWs[

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/MatreshkaRF/status/1754741254800155021

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/MaimunkaNews/status/1756005512879997075

[Bill Ryan]

Fitness in Russian.

https://t.me/DDGeopolitics/102024

[grapevine]

Same song as Ravenlocke's post #46. Must be a Russian fav . . .

[Bill Ryan]

Watch to see what happens half way through this 18-second clip. (That's one of the famous Tu-160 'white swans')

https://t.me/DDGeopolitics/103182

The translated text:

If your party isn't like this, don't even think about inviting me.

[Ravenlocke]

Text:

✌️🏼On March 1-7, the Sirius Federal Territory (Sochi, Russia 🇷&#127482 will host the #WorldYouthFestival, the major international youth event of the year.

🌐 The event will bring together about 20,000 foreign and Russian young leaders in science, culture, education, international cooperation, volunteering, sports, business, and media.

✔️ Stay tuned! There are a lot of fascinating events ahead!

https://x.com/EmbassyofRussia/status...40201700810829

https://x.com/SgforgoodStella/status...14702525554770

https://x.com/SgforgoodStella/status...26483650277706

Text:

Vladimir #Putin declared the #WorldYouthFestival open with an address to the participants. The main message of his speech:

▪️ "I am sure that the festival participants will return home with love for #Russia";

▪️ "Multinational unity for the Russian Federation is the greatest goal";

▪️ "The brotherhood of peoples has always remained and remains the main support, advantage and strength of Russia";

▪️ "There are no borders or dividing lines for young people, this has been shown by hundreds of thousands of applications for participation";

▪️ "You know what a safe world should be like, it’s up to you to create it";

▪️ "We are always open for dialogue".

https://x.com/ferozwala/status/1763996825219158455

[Ravenlocke]

https://x.com/MaimunkaNews/status/1767249336897843702

https://x.com/MatreshkaRF/status/1767264058011439421

[Bill Ryan]

A small story from the frozen north of Russia — with a happy ending.

https://t.me/ZandVchannel/106287

The text:

Today, in the Murmansk region, emergency workers rescued a brave fisherman who, after the breakdown of an all-terrain vehicle, walked for three days on the tundra.
A resident of the northern region was going to spend a day fishing away from the hustle and bustle of the world, but everything did not go according to plan. The all-terrain vehicle on which he was traveling through the tundra broke down in the middle of the icy plain, and the man found himself in a frosty trap. But the Russian spirit cannot be broken — the man just walked home.
The journey was too long and cold — three days later, rescuers found the poor guy with frostbitten limbs. He was urgently evacuated by helicopter to the doctors in the regional center.

~~~

[grapevine]

Is this Russia’s Smartest Idea in History?

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=MC3g8XSlQ6A

(19:09)
"During the first 400 years under Russian rule, Siberia was largely undeveloped. But that changed in the mid 1800s, when the political centre of gravity shifted to the Western Pacific. Many European countries started to establish themselves in this region, and Russia realized that their lack of development in Eastern Siberia was a strategic weakness. Their choice was to either develop the region, or to risk that another nation would do it for them. They chose to build a railroad."

This is the story of the Trans Siberian Railroad with Hindsight." Fascinating . . .

[Ravenlocke]

Text:
Video,
🇷🇺The Ordinskaya Cave is the largest underwater cave in Russia and one of the longest in the world (length 4,600 meters; depths more than 43 meters).Cold,crystal-clear water provides spectacular visibility,allowing visitors to fully marvel at the beauty of this cave.

https://x.com/Vuk02577707/status/1774416153089122371

[Bill Ryan]

Posted by Ravenlocke (here)
Text:
Video,
🇷🇺The Ordinskaya Cave is the largest underwater cave in Russia and one of the longest in the world (length 4,600 meters; depths more than 43 meters).Cold,crystal-clear water provides spectacular visibility,allowing visitors to fully marvel at the beauty of this cave.

https://x.com/Vuk02577707/status/1774416153089122371

That tweet seems to have been deleted, but here's a different short video of the cave:

Source: https://youtube.com/watch?v=eXF0kFUeh3k

[Ravenlocke]

Video of a husky running with bears, the husky was lost in Kamchatka Russia and they used a drone to find it and that’s when they discovered the dog was hanging with wild bears🙂

https://x.com/djuric_zlatko/status/1775881135836332199

[Ravenlocke]

Posting this news here not sure if it needs its own thread.



https://tass.com/emergencies/1772051...m_social_share

MOSCOW, April 8. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has instructed the government to create a special commission for civil defense, emergency and disaster management, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

According to the latest data, more than 10,400 residential houses have been inundated in 39 Russian regions. In the Orenburg Region, which has been hit hardest by the floods, water levels have risen from 8 to 30 centimeters over the day, while in Orsk the water level in the Ural River dropped by 9 centimeters. The flood situation in the Kurgan Region is not any easier. According to the regional Emergencies Ministry's branch, more than 18,000 people are in the zone of possible flooding.

TASS has gathered the key facts about the flood situation in Russian regions.

Situation in the Orenburg Region

- Water levels in the reservoirs of the Orenburg Region increased from 8 to 30 cm over the day. The water level of the Ural River in Orsk, heavily affected by flooding, fell by 9 cm and now stands at 963 cm.

- Over the day, the water has receded from 311 residential houses and more than 1,700 household plots in the Orenburg Region. About 10,100 houses and almost 18,500 plots remain flooded.

- Over 2,000 homestead plots and more than 1,500 households are flooded in Orenburg. During the day, the numbers increased by 231 and 188 respectively, the mayor's office said. Streets in the Kuznechny district have largely lost power.

- As of 9:00 a.m. on April 8, the water level in the Ural River is 872 cm. Water also continues to flow into the Sakmara River, bringing its water level up to 783 cm.

- The Ural River’s water levels will return to normal no earlier than April 25, according to the regional government's press service. Previously, the highest level ever recorded was in 1942 - then it stood at 946 cm.

- Orenburg City Hall reported that almost 790 people had been evacuated, including 35 children, from the flooded area. Emergency rescue operations involved 205 people, 89 units of equipment and 15 watercraft.

- In Novotroitsk, the Orenburg Region, water spilled over a protective dam; work is underway to fill it in. The authorities are evacuating local residents to temporary accommodation centers.

- According to the Emergencies Ministry, the flood wave is shifting towards Orenburg. The water level is currently decreasing near Orsk.

- The authorities of the Orenburg Region are already set to pay out on claims from 276 victims.

Situation in the Kurgan Region

- Over 10,000 houses, homestead plots and country houses may be flooded during this year's floods in the Kurgan Region, according to the latest forecasts from the regional center for hydrometeorology and environmental monitoring.

- More than 18,000 people are in the zone of possible waterlogging, according to the regional Emergencies Ministry's website. Almost 600 people were evacuated in the region.

- The region has been put on high alert; a state of emergency was introduced in the Zverinogolovsky municipal district. According to the authorities, an emergency zone has been established within the boundaries of the settlements of Proryvnoye, Ozernoye, Zverinogolovskoye, Verkhnyaya Alabuga, Bugrovoye, Redut and adjacent territories.

- According to the Kurgan administration's Telegram channel, as of 8:00 a.m. (6:00 a.m. Moscow time) on April 8, the water level in the Tobol River near the city stood at 305 cm (above the "zero post"), having increased by 15 cm during the day.

- There is no risk of flooding at multistory buildings in Kurgan, the regional Emergencies Ministry said. Garden associations and private houses, however, are at risk.

Flood situation in other regions

- Russian President Vladimir Putin has been briefed by the Emergencies Ministry and the governors of the Orenburg, Kurgan and Tyumen regions on how the flood situation is developing and instructed the government to set up a special commission.

- Over 10,400 residential houses are flooded in 39 Russian regions, further flooding of low-lying areas and transportation infrastructure in three regions of the country is predicted, the Russian Emergencies Ministry's press service reported.

- The number of houses flooded by melt water in the Altai Region has increased to 142, the Russian Emergencies Ministry's press service said.

- In the Novosibirsk Region, 49 country houses and 70 homestead plots were flooded in four districts, according to Viktor Orlov, the regional Emergencies Ministry chief. In total, 93 homestead plots, one residential house and 271 country houses were flooded.

- The water level in the Malinovka River rose by 60 centimeters in one day in the Dalnerechensky District of the Primorsky Region, traffic communication with seven settlements was interrupted.

- Floods have left 66 out of 70 buildings submerged in the Chelyabinsk Region, but the situation in the region is stabilizing, the press center of the Emergencies Ministry's Main Directorate for the region reported.

- In Tyumen, the probability of entire districts becoming flooded remains. The Emergencies Ministry will send Mi-26 helicopters to evacuate people and deliver cargo.

[norman]

In the UK Guardian it says a dam burst.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...rsk-ural-river

That location is very near the Kazakhstan border.

[Ravenlocke]

Posted by norman (here)
In the UK Guardian it says a dam burst.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...rsk-ural-river

That location is very near the Kazakhstan border.

Yes posted yesterday,
see here, https://projectavalon.net/forum4/sho...=1#post1608121