Award-winning Multilingual Arts and Culture Blog Since 2006
President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation on occasion of ratifying the adjoining of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson, and Zaporozhye Regions to the Russian Federation. Without exaggeration, the entire country is currently watching or listening to the address.
I haven’t been so proud yet.
Following the referenda in four parts of the now former Ukraine, we are waiting for the ratification of historic documents tomorrow. The sunset tonight signifies the glimpse of hope that always shines amidst the most terrible circumstances. The war in Donbass isn’t over yet, but its end is imminent because the territory has rejoined Russia.
The war with the West is imminent, too, and no, “we didn’t start the fire” but we are going to end it.
Currently a couple of hundred thousands of Russian citizens are peacefully “invading” Georgia and Kazakhstan under the name of the “great escape”. This exodus marks the moment when Russia is only full of people who want it to exist and who want to exist with it – or not.
The readiness to die is what sets Russia apart from the rest of the world. And this is precisely what has allowed my country to survive the ordeals many other nations could not withstand. The more you are prepared to die, the more you fight for your life – metaphysically, first and foremost.
The single mistake of the Western world, Europe in particular, has been the desire to live in peace. And so it was eager to sustain any status quo that made it possible. Now it has all but lost its own status as a political subject. Britain has left the EU to remain the one.
On the contrary, by starting the special military operation, Russia has shown that the country will no longer tolerate the status quo that includes, among other unacceptable things, the resurrection of Fascism. And we are ready to undertake every measure that Europe ignored or was unable to undertake.
And it explains why Russia is taking time to “respond” to a teract on Nord Stream. There is no hurry, and Europe is now a continent in distress, it will need help, obviously, but it will have to cope by itself.
The only thing I would tell all Europeans is this: don’t go to the US. Why would you go to work and pay your taxes to the country that bombed Japan and Vietnam and is now pumping money and weapons into Ukraine? It’s OK if you plan to stay in your home country, but if you’re thinking of moving, then go to Russia. People here speak different European languages, women are beautiful, and you will always be able to return to your home country…
Russian football fans unite behind the team “RUSSIA”. They make the support of the country and soldiers their priority.
Russia may not be the most potent football power, but its football fans are known for their ability to unite behind their favourite team. Today they unite behind the team “RUSSIA”. Below is an extract from the Russian football fan club CSKA Vandals address to other fan clubs:
“Dear friends, regardless of your club preferences,
Some of you have long followed the event in Donbass and have already made their contribution to the fight, but for some of you the war is only just beginning to get personal. Now that each of us has seen (or may see) their pals, friends, or relatives go to the front, it is high time to stop having vain hopes and thinking that this war is far enough to pass you by. It won’t. It is time to realise your personal responsibility for the guys at the frontline and for the future of our country and to start helping each other, so as to bring closer the end of fighting and the peace. Better later than never.
Many were emotionally driven by fear to flee the country in haste, but we are staying here, in our homeland, with our near and dear, and with you. From now on we stop any football-linked activity and make the support of our brothers and the victory of Russia our sole priority”.
Translated from Russian by Julia Shuvalova
Other posts On Russia.
The cost of maintaining the war in Afghanistan was the same for the US as is presently the cost of Ukraine.
The pandemic that struck in 2020 now seems far less terrifying than impeding hunger, cold, and a global war. A lot of people throughout the world still hope to somehow escape the conflict by moving elsewhere. But I doubt there is a place on earth where one can confidently hide. So, I believe we’d be better off facing the real circumstances. Here’s a text from another Telegram channel with a brief analysis of America’s plans to make Ukraine the new Afghanistan.
from The Empire of a Smoker TG channel
An interesting fact: the cost of maintaining the war in Afghanistan was the same for the US as is presently the cost of Ukraine.
The US expenditure on sustaining the military contingent in Afghanistan amounted to $42 bln. The cost of maintaining the Afghani government in the form of external assistance was 42% of GDP in 2020, or some $8-9 bln.
Altogether, Afghanistan cost the U.S. $50-52 bln per year.
Notably, Ukraine’s cost is roughly the same: $50-60 bln. Of these, around $30 bln go towards the budget, and the other $20-30 bln – towards the arms supplies.
First, the U.S. had made a decision to start their own military operation in Ukraine BEFORE August 31, 2021 when they withdrew from Afghanistan in haste.
Secondly, the U.S. had been staying in Afghanistan for 20 years, hence they have been planning to stay in Ukraine for just as long.
Thirdly, since the Ukrainian economy is totally destroyed, and over 54% of its budget is refilled by external assistance, then the primary business of Ukraine is the war with Russia ((and soon perhaps it will be the only business). This means there will be no negotiations, for the war is now the sole guarantee of Ukraine’s existence.
What this means, is that it is highly unlikely that the war will end tomorrow or in a month. It will last for as long as the U.S. need it, until they reach their goals or lose the opportunity to do so.
Translated from Russian by Julia Shuvalova
Other posts in Ukraine
While mobilization is underway, some people chose to flee Russia. The majority’s sentiment towards them is disdain.
Something we have expected from February is now happening. The mobilization has started in Russia last Wednesday, and today the reserve officers have departed for the training centres. A lot of experts were arguing for it since the beginning of the Special Military Operation, but I believe there is time for everything. Now is the time for Russian men to protect the newly-freed territories of Donbass and the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions.
Meanwhile, some people chose to flee Russia back in February, and some are leaving now. If you want to know the sentiment of the majority of Russians towards this “flight”, it is mostly a disdain.
People often confuse the government and the country. Whereas the love and support for the country often mean the approval of the government, the attitude to the government doesn’t equal the attitude to the country, its people and culture. I may dislike the government for some of its (in)actions but my love for my country will not let me seek the revolution.
The effect of globalization and “democratization” has been such that the notions of national pride and patriotism have been mocked for years on end. Yet, as the recent events show, they have not become obsolete or redundant. Having something to be proud of is pertinent to a man. Having a role model is vital for self-development. And love for a country is the same as love for a family. This is what we see in Serbia – and in Italy, following the victory of the Brothers of Italy.
Alas, as we see today, the institute of a family is being destroyed in Europe and America, and love for the country is considered a manifestation of racism. In truth, however, loving the country, one’s family and compatriots is healthy and indicates a high degree of self-awareness and development, for this love prepares you to sacrifice many things for your loved one. Including your love.
The reason why the Russian government is not preventing those fleeing the country from doing so is quite obvious. We don’t need cowards, we don’t need those who may work to destroy the country from within. We want real men, real citizens who love their country and their compatriots.
Someone I studied with at the Lomonosov MSU went to Turkey in February. He studied Art History, so obviously he considers himself a mouthpiece of the Russian “intelligentzia“. Recently he felt the urge to express his attitude to the military operation, Putin, and all of us who have not fled the country. We, he said, are his enemies.
Well, if so, then he and his co-thinkers are better off to be away from the Russian horde. However, I reminded him about the General Denikin who fled Russia in the aftermath of the Civil War but who one of the first to provide financial assistance to the Soviet State during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). The Russian composer Sergey Rachmaninov also donated his concert money to the USSR throughout the war years until his death in 1943. This is what he wrote in letters from 1941-1942:
November 19, 1941: “This is the only way in which I can express my compassion for the sufferings of the people of my homeland”.
March 25, 1942: “From one of the Russians – here is my assistance to the Russian nation in its fight against the enemies. I want to believe, and I do believe, in complete victory”.
Following the victory at Stalingrad, 1943, Rachmaninov addressed Joseph Stalin with a short letter:
“I am now confident that my Motherland will defeat the agressors. I also admire the fact that despite its greatest ordeal the musical culture of fighting Russia, including that of the Russian nation, continues to enthrall the world, it is alive and continues to develop. I am willing to accept that we were probably wrong in the early 1920s when we thought that the Russian art was doomed to be destroyed or degraded”.
So, mobilization is going well. The soldiers are not being sent straight to the front. They first arrive at the training camp and it is not certain that they will actually go to fight. The territories of Donbass and other two regions need the people militia and other male help. The link will take you to a report in Telegram of Moscow reserve soldiers departing for Donbass. As for those “scared patriots” who chose to leave their homeland, we kind-heartedly mock them. They still have not realised that nobody wants them in either Europe or America. But I would also close the boundary, for we want to live, make families and do business with reliable people. I wouldn’t want anyone who chose to run away to ever come back and claim back their workplaces and chairs.
Likewise, there is more than one military operation going on at the moment. There is a lot to do within the country, in Moscow alone, in the spheres of civil life, e.g. education, health service, etc. So, we have all been mobilized, but, as the events of the bygone days show, we will conquer Mars after this Victory. Watch this space (sic!)
Today is a historic day in contemporary Russia. Four parts of the former Ukraine are voting to re-unite with the Russian state where they all once belonged.
Today is a historic day in contemporary Russia. Four parts of the former Ukraine – the People’s Republic of Donetsk and Lugansk (Donbass), the Kherson Region, and Zaporozhye – are voting to re-unite with the Russian state where they all once belonged. Here is a report by Graham Phillips.
Other posts in Ukraine.
From Putin in Telegram TG channel:
We are all impressed by the courage of those who organise the referenda in DPR, LRP, the Kherson and Zaporozhye Regions. They receive threats and may be imprisoned for 10 years according to the Ukrainian laws. Everyone knows that their enemies, the Kiev regime, are terrorists who have already committed many crimes and who are eager to commit more to fulfill the orders of their foreign masters. All Russia is also impressed by the bravery of ordinary people who are presently visiting the polling stations to cast their vote. We shall win, for we have such people!
Translated from Russian by Julia Shuvalova
Phos Hilaron is considered the first church hymn in a proper sense. It was sung every evening. In the video it is sung by the Valaam monks.
This beautiful hymn, Phos Hilaron (Gentle Light (Svete Tikhy in Russian; Lumen Hilare in Latin; O Gladsome Light in English) is the first church hymn in its proper sense. Every evening when the Christians gathered for the service they sang it and lit the candle or lamp that symbolised the ever-living light of Jesus. You can read the story of the hymn. Below is a video of its performance in Old Church Slavonic by the monks of the Valaam Monastery.
(The evening service is on the way in Russian churches, but I have to visit the library today to take back the books).
More on Russia
It is indeed the time to move to Russia and to bring over your “traditional” European or American heritage.
We shall welcome you all. I feel in a few years we will be rescuing the best of European and American culture, to save it from annihilation at the hands of modern-age barbarians who detest “the White Man”. So, it is indeed the time to move to Russia and to bring over your “traditional” European or American heritage.
A Russian article about the video
More on Russia
I applaud the fact that my country’s media people have come up with this propagandist video promoting some aspects of Russia that the other Russian media used to look down on with disdain. And no, we as a nation, are not happy that the European gas prices are rising, and in France you cannot even water the home gardens. What needs to be understood is that much of Western prosperity was built on unfair price-setting for countries like Russia. The price for gas IS high when you trade it fairly.
I’m contemplating the value bubble in which our world has been living for the last 30-60 years. The monetary cost and the non-monetary value of things mostly contradict each other. Once somebody could treat his physical possessions more than his health or his family. Today he treats his virtual possessions more than anything in the physical world. We now have to rebuild an entire country as physicals factories and plants, but this means there will be real work, real money, real relationships.
Time to move to Russia, folk.
Today we celebrated the Day of two Christian saints, Peter and Paul. Peter was one of Jesus’s disciples who tried to emulate his master and follow him in his footsteps but couldn’t quite do so. He was afraid to walk on water, and, despite his own expectations, refuted Jesus three times. Following the Resurrection, he became the leader of disciples and an ardent professor of faith.
Saul, on the other hand, was a staunch persecutor of Christians until the angel knocked him down and revealed God’s will. And so Saul became Paul and wrote many epistles to pagans and Christians alike. Caravaggio’ The Conversion of Saul depicts the moment of epiphany.
Both eventually martyred: Peter was crucified head down (at his own request), and Paul was beheaded for he was a Ronan citizen. As a result, Paul is often depicted with a sword, as in this painting by El Greco.
Paul may also be depicted with a book which is a nod to his literary activity, and Peter is portrayed with the keys to Kingdom of Heaven in his hand. In this Russian icon another aspect is noticeable: Peter is older and is always on the left side of the picture.
The saints were celebrated in Russia practically since the Christening, and the Cathedral of St Sophia in Kiev has the earliest surviving image of Peter in what was Ancient Rus.
The popular expression says “Peter and Paul reduce the day by an hour”. By August 2nd, St Elijah’s Day, the day will have lost two hours, which is commemorated in another expression.
The story of Peter and Paul is that of a person’s following his or her vocation with faith. At the beginning of this short fasting period I went to St Clement of Rome’s church where I wrote down something of my own epiphany, that Christianity is not about suffering but about faith and service. When one has found their vocation, they should follow it, not in the hope to martyr or to die a peaceful death, but in the determination to fulfill their vocation. Martyrdom or a good death is not the end in itself; the vocation is. The story of Peter and Paul is a good illustration of this thesis. After all, there were St Nicholas and St Spyridon of Trimythous who died a peaceful death but whose contribution to Christianity was no less than that of the apostles’.
There are two lessons Peter and Paul teach us. One, follow your vocation. And two, none of us is ever good enough for a task. Peter betrayed Christ but came to be the guardian of the heavenly Kingdom. Saul used to destroy Christians but eventually became the most ardent propagator of a new religion. Whatever we used to do in the past, we can always change our ways and start anew.
The church of the Presentation of the Virgin in Barashy was built between 1688 and 1701. It can be accessed from Pokrovka St, close to the Kremlin.
The church of the Presentation of the Virgin in Barashy was built between 1688 and 1701. However, a church used to exist here as early as the 15th century. It belonged to Andronikov monastery until the tsar Ivan III granted it the lands beyond the Yauza River in exchange of this church. It can be accessed from Pokrovka St and is therefore located fairly close to Red Square and the Kremlin.
Barashy was a special area, a sloboda, where lived the tsar’s servants who accompanied him on his journeys and campaigns. They carried the so called “soft stuff”, or tents, which they put up and took down. The Russian word “barakhlo” is evidently related.
The church that we can presently see was built and decorated in the style of the Moscow Baroque. Its splendid architecture includes corniches, entablements and archivolts, columns and “kokoshniks”. The bell-tower was added during a restoration of 1741. Another round of restorative works took place between 1815 and 1837 when the church was slightly enlarged and a new iconostasis was consecrated.
The church’s two chapels are dedicated to Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion and St Elijah the Prophet. As a matter of fact, close to the church there was lyinskaya sloboda (the sloboda of Elijah) that belonged to Russian tsars.
The church of the Presentation of the Virgin in Barashy stands in the Bely Gorod, or the White City, a historical part of Moscow where resided the aristocracy and the tsar’s (later – the emperor’s) servants.
In the Soviet times the church was to be demolished, and so several icons were saved by the Tretyakov Gallery. Miraculously, it was not destroyed although it first housed a hostel for workers and then – an electric plant. The restoration works began in 1976, and the sermons resumed in 1993. Between 2015 and 2021 here resided the Metropolis of Chișinău and All Moldova.
The church’s official website.
More photos.
More posts in Moscow churches.
You must be logged in to post a comment.