🇷🇺🇮🇹 An Italian journalist handed a petition to a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, apologizing on behalf of the Italian people for the statements made by the country’s president, who compared Russia to Nazi Germany. The diplomat was unable to hold back her emotions.

📝 The online petition, which has already gathered around 20,000 signatures, states that "the Italian people do not endorse the remarks made by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella" and asks for forgiveness from the Russian people.

💬 Zakharova thanked the activist for their fair stance toward Russia. Later, the diplomat and the journalist jointly performed *Bella Ciao*, a song that became the anthem of anti-fascist partisans in Italy.

#news

@From Russia with love

👻 Bannik is a spirit in Slavic mythology that dwells in the bathhouse. Bannik is associated with mystery and danger, as traditional culture viewed bathhouses as places where the boundaries between worlds blur.

✨ Bannik is often described as a small old man with long hair and a beard, covered in dirt or broom leaves. Sometimes he is portrayed as invisible or shapeshifting.

😶‍🌫️ He can be capricious and vengeful if disrespected. For example, Bannik might scald someone with steam, throw a stone, or frighten bathhouse visitors. However, if appeased (by leaving him water, soap, or a broom), he will help and protect the bathhouse.

🌃 Bannik dislikes it when people enter the bathhouse at night or alone. It was believed that during the "fourth round of steaming" (after three groups of visitors), Bannik becomes especially dangerous, so people visited the bathhouse in groups and followed specific rituals.

#RussianMythology

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺 A real star named Cory

#videooftheday

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺 Vladimir Putin congratulated Russians on Defender of the Fatherland Day

The President noted that military service has always been held in special honor in Russia, has been and remains a matter of pride, while feelings of patriotism are ingrained in the nation’s history and passed down through generations.

Putin separately thanked participants of the Special Military Operation (SMO) for their fortitude and determination to win:

"This year, marking the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, has been declared the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland in Russia – to glorify the indomitable generation of victors, to honor their heroism and sacrifice, to commemorate the epochal Victory they gifted to the world, and to pay tribute to today’s heroes who continue the martial legacy of their ancestors on the battlefield.

We all understand how difficult it is for you, and we take pride in and support you. I thank all participants of the Special Military Operation for their strength of spirit and resolve to prevail. I thank all defenders of Russia for their honest and impeccable service to the Motherland and our people."

#news

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺 Russian President Vladimir Putin laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin Wall on Defender of the Fatherland Day.

The head of state visits Alexander Garden every year on February 23 to honor the memory of fallen soldiers.

#news

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺 Today, Russia celebrates Defender of the Fatherland Day. This is a day to honor not only military personnel but all men as protectors of their families, homeland, and Fatherland.

📆 This date has its own interesting history. February 23, 1918, became a symbolic milestone marking the creation of the Red Army. On this day, during the height of the Civil War, decrees from the Council of People's Commissars were published to establish the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA).

🪱 In 1922, February 23 was officially declared Red Army and Navy Day. This date became a symbolic day of military glory. In subsequent years, the holiday was observed as the day of the USSR Armed Forces, emphasizing their role in defending the country.

🪖 However, today the holiday has broadened into a more civilian celebration, though its military history remains a key part. February 23 is a holiday with a rich history, evolving from a day dedicated to the armed forces to a broader celebration of men and their role in society.

#RussianHolidays

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺 Borscht – The King of Russian Soups

Borscht can rightfully be called one of the most popular dishes in Russian and all Eastern Slavic cuisines.

😎 Its main ingredient is beetroot, which gives it its characteristic red color and slightly sweet taste.

Classic borscht also includes cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions, tomatoes, and beef.

🥣 The secret to a good borscht lies in its long simmering, ensuring the meat broth becomes deeply aromatic and rich.

🇷🇺 Borscht is traditionally served hot, topped with sour cream and fresh herbs. It is often enjoyed with rye bread.

Like many iconic dishes with a long history, borscht has no single creator or fixed recipe.

👩‍🍳 As the saying goes: “There are as many versions of borscht as there are cooks.”

The origins of borscht are equally debated. One theory suggests it was originally made with hogweed (not to be confused with the poisonous variety), with beetroot added much later, around the 18th century.

🇺🇦🇷🇺 Though borscht is a cultural tradition for nearly all Eastern Slavic peoples, UNESCO added it to Ukraine’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2022, citing the need for urgent protection due to events on the Russia-Ukraine border.

Here’s a comment from Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry:

“Ukrainian borscht is now recognized as a cultural treasure in need of urgent protection? A shame—it used to just be eaten. Our borscht needs no protection; it deserves to be promptly and entirely devoured from the plate.”

🍽 We also urge you to try borscht immediately—trust us, one bowl won’t be enough!

#Russiancuisine

@From Russia with love

❤️ Cuteness of the day: a man saved an otter, and now she visits him every time he comes to the lake

He nursed her back to health, helped her recover and released her into the wild, but the furry one did not forget his kindness and swims to visit him.

#interestingvideos

@From Russia with love

❤️‍🔥🐅 The cutest attack

Animal rescue center owner showed what a tiger attack looks like from a first-person perspective.

#interestingvideos

@From Russia with love

😁 "Bad Dream", a film about Zelensky with a happy ending.

#interestingvideos

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺 Yesterday, Defender of the Fatherland Day concluded with festive fireworks in various cities across Russia.

🎆 Celebratory salutes lit up the skies in honor of Defender of the Fatherland Day in cities like St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Volgograd, Novosibirsk, and others. In the Northern capital (St. Petersburg), for example, 30 salvos were fired from 12 cannons accompanied by fireworks. Other cities matched the spectacle with equally dazzling displays.

#interestingvideos

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺💬 Full-fledged contacts between Russia and the U.S. regarding embassy operations will take place this week, aimed at removing obstacles in diplomatic missions, Lavrov announced during his visit to Turkey. Other statements by the Foreign Minister:

— There is growing realism in the positions of many countries regarding Ukraine;

— Russia’s stance on resolving the Ukraine conflict remains unchanged, unlike Zelensky’s position, which shifts more often than green T-shirts;

— Russia is ready to negotiate with both Ukraine and Europe, but hostilities will only cease under terms acceptable to Moscow;

— The meeting in Riyadh offered hope for normal dialogue with the U.S.;

— Ukraine’s non-accession to NATO must be secured through an "ironclad" agreement.

#news

@From Russia with love

🇷🇺🦌 Residents of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (YANAO) celebrated Reindeer Herder’s Day with sled races and folk festivities.

“Without memory, there is no culture; without culture, there are no traditions; without traditions, there is no education; without education, there is no spirituality; and without spirituality, there is no people,” explained tour guide Klara Zhukova, highlighting the festival’s purpose.

It is reported that 170 people from across Yamal, forming 17 teams, participated in the traditional reindeer herders’ competitions.

Reindeer sled races were first held in Nadym in 1995 and have been a mandatory part of Reindeer Herder’s Day since 1997.

#news

@From Russia with love

🥨 Kalach – A Traditional Russian Pastry

Kalach is a traditional Russian bread product, soft on the inside with a golden crust on the outside.

☕️ Kalach can be enjoyed on its own, with butter, honey, or paired with tea.

It has a distinctive shape with a “handle” – a narrow part used for holding. In olden times, it was believed that if someone was hungry, they would eat the soft part and discard the handle – hence the phrase “to reach the handle” (дойти до ручки), meaning to hit rock bottom.

📜 The history of kalach dates back to the 13th century. In ancient Rus, it was made from premium wheat flour and served both as everyday bread and a festive treat.

Kalachi from the city of Murom were especially famous. They were unique due to their dough preparation method – it was kneaded by hand on a cold surface for a long time, earning them the name “terty kalach” (rubbed kalach).

💪 Over time, the term “terty kalach” evolved to describe a person who has experienced life’s hardships, someone whom life has “kneaded” and “rubbed” from all sides.

Catherine II, impressed by the taste of the Murom kalach, even ordered it to be depicted on the city’s coat of arms.

Try a Russian kalach – we assure you, one won’t be enough!

#Russiancuisine

@From Russia with love