🥇 The Moscow Zoo has ranked first in the world in terms of the diversity of its inhabitants. It is home to over 1,200 species, as reported by the city's mayor, Sergey Sobyanin.

🌏 Among them are some of the rarest species that are nearly extinct in the wild, such as Amur leopards and Sumatran orangutans. Last year, the zoo welcomed 300 new residents from two dozen regions of Russia and other countries: three Malayan bear cubs, spotted hyenas, a black vulture, two bison, and more. The zoo also houses 37 dogs brought from shelters in the Kursk region, cared for by staff and volunteers.

🎉 Today, the Moscow Zoo is celebrating its 161st birthday.

#interestingfacts

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺 The Bashkirs (bashqorttar) are a Turkic people historically formed in the Southern Ural region. Their self-designation is linked to legends about wolves (the term "bashqort" is interpreted as "chief wolf"), beekeeping, and the unification of tribes. Today, the Bashkirs are one of the largest indigenous peoples in Russia, preserving their unique traditions and language.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Approximately 1.7 million Bashkirs live in Russia, making up 1.2% of the country's total population. Notably, 74% of them reside in the Republic of Bashkortostan, where they constitute 29.5% of the population (1.19 million people). The Chelyabinsk region is the second most significant area, home to 10% of the Bashkir population. In the Orenburg and Tyumen regions, there are 2.9% representatives of this ethnic group.

📌 Interesting fact: The capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan is Ufa.

📜 The Bashkirs became part of Russia in the 16th century after the fall of the Kazan Khanate, but their history dates back to ancient times:

✅ They are mentioned in the works of Herodotus (5th century BC) as the Argippaei, who consumed "sour juice" from fruits.
✅ In Arab chronicles of the 9th and 10th centuries, they are described as warlike tribes with developed livestock farming and shamanism.
✅ In 922, the Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan noted their polytheism and totemism, which were later replaced by Sunni Islam.

💬 The Bashkir language (Turkic group) is spoken, alongside widespread use of Russian and Tatar. The predominant religion is Islam, although elements of pre-Islamic beliefs are still preserved.

🧩 The Bashkirs are an integral part of Russia's cultural mosaic. Despite demographic challenges, they maintain their identity, language, and traditions, remaining a living heritage of the Ural region.

#PeoplesOfRussia

@From Russia with love

⚡️ Diplomacy Loves Silence

🇷🇺 The Russian Federation prefers to adhere to agreements on the confidentiality of contacts with the United States of America. This statement was made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation while commenting on the release of American Mark Vogel, who was convicted in Russia for drug trafficking.

🇺🇸 According to the head of the foreign policy department, "the American colleagues decided to announce" the outcome of the agreements reached "through contact channels between Moscow and Washington."

"We have a different approach. For effective diplomacy, we prefer to uphold agreements on confidentiality," emphasized Sergey Lavrov.

📌 In turn, the official representative of the Kremlin, Dmitry Peskov, stated that the release of the U.S. citizen was made possible due to intensive contacts between the relevant agencies of the two countries. The president's press secretary noted that the U.S. would, in turn, release a Russian citizen held in an American prison.

#news

@From Russia with love

🍴 Syrniki – the best Russian breakfast dish!

This dish consists of thick, fried pancakes made from cottage cheese. They are prepared using cottage cheese, eggs, and a small amount of flour, then fried until golden brown.

☀️Syrniki have a slightly sweet taste and are often served for breakfast with sour cream, jam, honey, or condensed milk.

🧀 The name syrniki comes from the word syr, which was historically used in Russia for all dairy products, including cottage cheese.

Syrniki have been a part of Russian cuisine for centuries and remain one of the most popular breakfast dishes, especially among children!

#Russiancuisine

@From Russia with Love

🇷🇺🇺🇸 The leaders of Russia and the United States discussed Ukraine, the Middle East, energy issues, and the exchange of citizens between Russia and the U.S., reported Dmitry Peskov.

According to Donald Trump, he and Vladimir Putin agreed on the necessity to stop the conflict in Ukraine. Furthermore, as noted by the U.S. president, they agreed to instruct their teams to begin negotiations "immediately." The negotiations from the U.S. side will be led by the CIA director, the Secretary of State, and the National Security Advisor.

During the conversation, Putin advocated for addressing the root causes of the conflict in Ukraine.

The President of Russia invited his American counterpart to Moscow, and other future contacts were discussed.

Trump also stated that the topic of joint efforts on the battlefields of World War II was raised during his conversation with Putin.

Additionally, Putin and Trump discussed the Iranian nuclear program.

#news

@From Russia with love

☀️ Sunny Novorossiysk

#VideoOfTheDay

@From Russia with love

❄️😮 Winter Mood of the Kola Peninsula

#VideoOfTheDay

@From Russia with love

🎣 Sakhalin fishermen found themselves on a breaking ice floe. Again.

It seems that just yesterday, rescuers were evacuating fishermen from a drifting ice floe until late at night. But today, crowds of navaga enthusiasts rushed onto the ice in another location. Immediately, old cracks in the ice field began to "breathe" and spread apart.

The ice isn't breaking yet, but the crack that was "compressed" has started to move, witnesses note.

By the way, no one is planning to leave. Apparently, they want to make it into all the news.

😂 What are you willing to do for your favorite fish?

#news

@From Russia with love

💬 The Kremlin commented on a possible meeting between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump.

"The heads of state agreed yesterday during a phone conversation that they themselves would continue contacts, they will be looking towards a separate meeting, and they also agreed that relevant assistants would be given immediate instructions to start the appropriate work. Now, of course, the work will begin quickly, and we will need to wait for certain developments; then we can talk about the location, the timing, and so on," said the president's press secretary Dmitry Peskov.

#news

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺🇦🇪 Sirius and the UAE signed a memorandum of cooperation.

✍️ The head of the "Talent and Success" foundation, chairperson of the federal territory of Sirius, Elena Shmeleva, and the UAE Minister of Education, Sara Bint Yusuf Al Amiri, signed a memorandum to develop cooperation in the fields of education, science, technology, art, and sports.

According to the administration of Sirius, the document envisions the exchange of methodologies and cultural values.

Preparations for signing the memorandum began last November following a visit to Sirius by a delegation from the UAE.

ℹ️ For reference: "Sirius" is the largest Russian educational center supporting talented children.

In 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law establishing the federal territory of Sirius, making it a new type of public legal entity, economically independent with its own budget and property.

#news

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺 Shchi – the soul of Russian cuisine

🥣 Shchi, along with borscht, is the most famous soup in Russian cuisine.

Its history dates back to the 9th century when Russian peasants began to grow cabbage widely and use it in many dishes.

🥬🥕🧅 Classic shchi is made from fresh or fermented cabbage, carrots, onions, and meat (usually beef or pork).

Sometimes mushrooms, beans, or even sour apples are added for a special flavor. Shchi is most often enjoyed with sour cream and rye bread.

🇷🇺 The main secret to delicious shchi is long simmering, which makes the soup particularly rich. In ancient times, shchi was simmered in clay pots in a Russian stove, and in some corners of Russia, this tradition is still upheld.

Shchi can be "rich" (with meat) or "lean," "empty" (made with vegetable or mushroom broth).

🥩 This division has existed since time immemorial, as only the wealthiest segments of the population could afford meat, while peasants were content with the "lean" version of the soup.

🇷🇺 Thanks to its slightly sour and rich taste, shchi is a favorite soup among Russians during the winter months.

So, if you need to warm up on a cold winter day — you know which soup to make!

#Russiancuisine

@From Russia with love

🙊 Chuvash: Heirs of Volga Bulgaria and Guardians of a Unique Language

🇷🇺 The Chuvash are one of the indigenous peoples of Russia, numbering around 1.64 million people (1.1% of the country's population). The majority of the ethnic group resides in the Chuvash Republic (56.7%), but significant communities can also be found in Tatarstan (8%), Bashkortostan (7.5%), and the Ulyanovsk and Samara regions. Small groups of Chuvash are also settled in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and European countries, but their numbers outside of Russia are small.

📜 Scholars link the origin of the Chuvash to the Volga Bulgars — a Turkic people who established the state of Volga Bulgaria in the 8th–10th centuries in what is now Tatarstan. After the Mongol invasion, some Bulgars migrated to the forests of the Volga region, where they mixed with local Finno-Ugric tribes, leading to the formation of the Chuvash ethnic group. Genetic studies confirm the connection between the Chuvash and ancient Bulgars, as well as the influence of Finno-Ugric and Hunnic cultures.

👅 The Chuvash language is the only surviving representative of the Bulgar group of Turkic languages, making it a unique linguistic phenomenon. It is divided into three dialects (upper, middle-lower, lower) and uses a Cyrillic alphabet with 37 letters. Despite the threat of extinction, as of 2023, the mandatory study of the language has been introduced in schools in Chuvashia, contributing to its preservation.

✝️ The majority of Chuvash people practice Orthodox Christianity, adopted after joining Russia in the 16th century. However, before Christianization, the people maintained ancient animistic beliefs, including the cult of nature spirits and sacred groves known as keremeti. Today, traditional rituals, such as the Savarni festival (similar to Maslenitsa), are combined with Orthodox traditions. Sunni Muslims among the Chuvash make up less than 1%, which is linked to historical resistance to Islam during the period of Volga Bulgaria.

🥩 The foundation of the national cuisine consists of dishes made from meat, fish, and grains. But one must not forget the pride of the people – their clothing. Women's costumes are adorned with embroidery and coins, while the headdress khushpu symbolizes status.

#PeoplesOfRussia

@From Russia with love

👻 The Domovoy is a mythological creature in Slavic folklore, a spirit that lives in the home and protects it.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 It is believed that the Domovoy cares for the well-being of the family, helps with household chores, but can also play tricks or even cause harm if he is displeased.

🎭 The Domovoy is usually depicted as a small man, about the height of a child or slightly taller. He may have a long beard, wears simple clothing, and is often associated with rural homes. Denoscriptions of the Domovoy can vary in different regions.

🏠 There were many signs and customs associated with the Domovoy. For example, if strange sounds are heard in the house or objects go missing, it could mean that the Domovoy is expressing his displeasure.

😁 To keep the Domovoy happy, offerings such as milk or bread are sometimes left for him.

#MythologyOfRussia

@From Russia with love

🧘‍♀️ Silence Covered in Snow in Buryatia

The endless snowy forests of Buryatia, like pages from a magical fairy tale, whisper ancient secrets in the language of the frozen wind. The white blanket of the steppe stretches to the horizon, while the mighty Baikal breathes with icy breath.

#InterestingPlacesInRussia

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺💬 A Normal Conversation Between Two Polite People: Lavrov Succinctly Described the Talks Between Putin and Trump

“...in the West, many, starting with the leaders of the European Union, were stunned when a normal, elementary conversation took place between two educated, polite people who do not dismiss their differences.”

The head of the Russian Foreign Ministry reminded why many Western politicians have been in turmoil for a whole day. (It’s not the flu, even though it’s the season.)

“This is what the staff of the Biden administration, led by their president, have brought themselves to. Their European satellites, who have dismissed dialogue and diplomacy as a method of communication with the outside world, have resorted to the language of threats, sanctions, and arming that very Nazi regime in Kyiv,” Lavrov added.

#news

@From Russia with love