Russia has become the main character in America’s ongoing news saga for the last year and a half. Seriously, it’s like we’ve stepped back into a Cold War soap opera—but this time, with more intrigue, bizarre plot twists, and questionable life choices. But here’s a thought: how well do we really know this enigmatic counterpart? Is “weird” a fair descriptor for the quirkiness of Russian life, or does it carry more layers, like a good borscht? Are they really all about madcap antics? Do they mix knishes and knives at finger food parties? I guess we won’t be solving those mysteries today. Instead, let’s dive into this wild cultural landscape where you might just learn about the peculiarities that’ll leave you scratching your head. Buckle up—confusion is guaranteed! LEARN MORE
Russia news has taken over American TV for the past year and a half. It seems that it’s all we’re hearing about nowadays, but how well do we really know our Cold War counterpart?
It’s common knowledge that Russians has some weird lifestyle choices, but in what context is “weird” used? Are they silly? Do they have bizarre hobbies? Do they eat finger food with a fork and knife? These are all questions that won’t be answered in this article, but rest assured that you’ll leave this page more confused about Russian culture than you were before.
This picture was probably taken on the hottest day of the year in Russia, yet here they are building snowmen. Russians have to get creative to fill their time after a car accident. Luckily there is snow everywhere in Russia. Unluckily, they will probably have to invest in a new car now. At least they had a little fun waiting for the cops to show up!
Russia Fact: Until 2011, any drink under 10% alcohol was considered foodstuff and not alcoholic.
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This picture perfectly encapsulates how everyone would react if President Vladimir Putin asked them for their lollipop. It would be a combination of shock, anger, and absolute terror. Coming up, how Russians attempt to keep their dogs warm. It’s adorable.
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Russia Fact: In exchange for Pepsi products, the Russians gave the soda company 17 submarines, a cruiser, vodka, a frigate warship, and a destroyer warship. At the time, it was the 7th largest submarine fleet in the world.
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Let’s be honest, President Putin is one of the scariest President in the world. His combination of power, KGB expertise (basically the CIA of Russia but way more cutthroat) and sociopathic tendencies make him very scary.
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Russia Fact: Russia is suspected to have 10-15 secret cities that have classified names and locations. They don’t appear on maps and they have no road signs. No foreigners are allowed to visit them.
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There’s nothing quite like trying to take a good “influencer-style” photo for Instagram and having it ruined by the cops taking someone to prison. Of course, is this case maybe this is what she wanted. Because in Russia, the weirder your picture is, the more followers you will get.
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Russia Fact: Facebook is only the fourth most popular social media website in the country. Twitter is the sixth, and Instagram is the eighth. A site called Vk.com is at the top of the list with 4.6 million users!
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This ATM in Russia appears to be broken, but this guy is going to help you out. Would you take money from a person inside the ATM? Did he just steal your debit card? How badly do you really need that money on a Friday night?
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Russia Fact: On the Russian version of “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire” the audience misled the contestant so much that they stopped using the “ask the audience” lifeline entirely.
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This is one of the most Russian pictures I think we could’ve possibly seen. Only in Russia would they have full snowsuits for their dogs because the weather is so cold. Just ahead, a picture that hilariously shows what happens when you protest the government. It doesn’t end well no matter how long you smile for.
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Russia Fact: In 2010, a heat wave in Russia led to the death of almost 1,000 people. The majority of them drown in swimming pools because they were drunk.
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Russian wedding photos are just straight up bizarre. I mean, the creative aspect of this is pretty interesting but I just find myself screaming “WHY?” If a stern Russian man popped out of a champagne bottle like a genie, would you fall instantly in love? We’d probably wonder what was actually in the bottle.
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Russia Fact: Lake Karachay is radioactive because it’s a nuclear dumping ground. If you spend more than one hour standing near it you’ll die.
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Photo Credit: Reddit / Kebabiukass
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If there’s anything to take away from a Russian’s attitude it’s that they don’t care what anyone else thinks. They’ll openly cheat in sports as long as they win and if they’re called out about it, they’ll just deny, deny, deny.
Russia Fact: In 1920, the Soviet Union became the first country to legalize abortion. In 2005, it was reported that they had more abortions than live births that year.
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This picture is hilarious because of the grin on the garbage can. The thought of this mascot getting brutally beaten up while maintaining that smile is mildly comedic. You’ve probably seen some weird things in a trunk, but I bet it’s not as weird as this picture coming up.
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Russia Fact: In 1700, a Russian lady gave birth to 69 kids which included 16 pairs of twins, 7 set of triplets and four sets of quadruplets.
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If there was a culture of humans that would be the closest to super-humans, it would be Russians. The grooming process they have for their kids is unmatched. Kids basically vote by the age of three (as long as it’s for Putin). This kid is going to see some things!
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Russia Fact: Russia’s homicide rate is twice what it is in America. They fluctuate around 10 death by murder per 100,000 people.
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Imagine never having stepped foot in a country only to find out that you live a second life there? I’d be thoroughly disappointed if the second version of me was a computer repair person. Couldn’t they do something cooler? To be fair, if you’d never heard of Zach Braff before, he does look like the type of person who would repair computers.
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Russia Fact: On average, Russians drink upwards of 6.3 shots of liquor per week while Americans only drink 3.3.
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There are so many questions that the driver of this car needs to answer for. There aren’t many sane reasons why you should have a live pig in the trunk of your car. Prepare yourself for the most badass Russian Harry Potter you’ll ever see. He’s coming up.
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Russia Fact: 25% of Russian men die before they reach the age of 55 which is compared to only 1% in the United States.
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The fashion in Russia is centered around warmth, which makes sense, Kids walk around looking like hovering snowballs. Seriously though, can this kid even move? They’re bundled up so tight it looks like they have to be rolled to the park, school, or wherever it is they are going.
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Russia Fact: The average Russian consumes 18 liters of alcohol annually which is over two times the amount that experts consider dangerous.
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Imagine growing up with a bear as your pet. While most people are afraid of the Shitzus in America, Russians let actual bears into their homes without batting an eye. These two will grow up together and be best friends for sure!
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Russia Fact: World War II technically hasn’t ended yet due to a dispute over the Kuril Islands. Russia and Japan still haven’t signed a peace treaty and therefore remain at war.
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Russians try to recreate American TV shows and movies, but they make them so much more aggressive. I dare you to tell this Harry Potter that Hermione is not real. It’d be the last words you ever spoke after dealing with the devious spell she casts on you! Coming up, the most Russian suit you’ll ever see and it’s too perfect.
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Russia Fact: It’s now illegal in Russia to tell children that gay people exist.
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When your government is corrupt and seldom gives communities enough money to help rebuild their infrastructure, you have to get creative. This is Russian engineering at its finest. How did America never think to put logs in potholes?
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Russia Fact: Since 1959, there’s a research center that has been domesticating red foxes. They are so well behaved now that many fox owners say they are easier to care for than dogs.
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When you were a kid, did you ever dream of being so rich that you could buy your own ambulance to take you places without traffic? Probably not. But I bet you wish you did. So wealthy that traffic just moves for you.
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Russia Fact: Rich Russians will hire fake ambulances to combat traffic in Moscow. While shocking to learn, this really isn’t all that surprising when you consider they live in Russia.
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When you picture a Russian mobster you probably picture him in a full Adidas tracksuit. If you picture that same Russian mobster going to a formal gala, this is probably how you pictured him. Why buy Armani when you know you trust Adidas? This is really about personal preference and we can’t blame this man for sticking to his morals.
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Russia Fact: The company Apple is worth more than the entire stock market in Russia.
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Why spend money to buy a fish tank when you can use the produce drawer (that you don’t use anyways) to store your fish? It’ll also ensure that they get visited a lot more since the fridge gets more attention than any tank would. Just ignore that special smell whenever you open the fridge.
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Russia Fact: There are nine different time zones in Russia which is the most in any one country in the world.
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We all know the history with Russia (USSR) and communism. It’s not fair, but every Russian person would have no choice but to choose answer e) no matter if it’s right or wrong. Because in Russia, communism is ALWAYS the right answer and there is no way of getting around the “truth.”
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Russia Fact: There have been many times of economic disparity in which case Russia pays their teachers in vodka.