Vlad Chorazy
Rituals of the Russian Banya
Steam baths are well-known in many European countries, but maybe only in Russia is the steam-bathing “banya” tradition such a subject of national pride and an attribute of Russianness, and rightly so.
The Cossacks: a sabre on the wall
A history of the Cossacks from earliest times as they bartered for their social freedoms in exchange for military service, contributing to the expansion of the small Tsardom of Muscovy into a vast Russian Empire. Cossacks fiercely defended their independence for centuries in a period of serfdom.
A geopolitical chess game in Crimea
The “onboarding” of Crimea exacerbates Russia’s political and economic vulnerability. However, costs will be high for all parties, as they will have to adapt to new geopolitical realities that will weigh on regional and international relations throughout the entire 21st century.