📔 The Legend of the Lonely Guardian

There are many rumors about Ivan the Terrible's library. One of them says that the library, hidden in the catacombs, is guarded not by the ghost of the great tsar, but by his bodyguard.

Once, he was a mighty knight who followed Ivan on his heels in all his military campaigns, protecting him from enemies and traitors. But one day, the old soldier met his love and wanted to get married. However, he had no money for the wedding or a gift for his beloved. So, he decided to steal some valuables from the tsar's chambers, which he had access to. "A trifle by the tsar's standards," he thought.

Unfortunately, Ivan Vasilyevich found out about the theft and threatened his bodyguard: "I can no longer trust you. But I will not send you to the executioner's block either. Fulfill my last order, and you will be free!"

The knight was taken to the underground library and set to guard it.They promised to relieve him soon. And then, he saw some unfamiliar men, assumed they were thieves, and rushed after them. He ran after them and got lost. He never found the exit.

Since then, a rumor has persisted that a lonely figure, his armor clanking, wanders the dungeons. And he is searching for the thieves because of whom this misfortune happened.

#InterestingFacts

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"'The Americans Will Take Command': Niinistö Reveals Details of Fateful Call to Putin About NATO Membership"

In his new book, former President of Finland Sauli Niinistö for the first time describes in detail the historic telephone conversation with Vladimir Putin that took place on May 14, 2022. It was then that he directly informed the Russian leader of Helsinki's decision to join NATO.

"We have always spoken frankly, and I felt that this, too, needed to be said directly," Niinistö writes in his memoir "All Paths to Security."

According to him, Putin's reaction was surprisingly calm: the Russian president merely called the decision a mistake.

However, behind the outward calm lay a symbolic exchange about sovereignty. Vladimir Putin deftly returned to the topic:

"I hope you will retain at least something of your sovereignty, since the Americans will take the military command."

This conversation became a turning point — Finland, which had maintained neutrality for centuries, did not "quietly disappear around the corner," but openly announced a change of course due to the changed geopolitical situation. Already in April 2023, the country officially joined NATO.

The book also reveals other diplomatic details:

➖ A month before the start of the operation in Ukraine, Joe Biden hinted to Niinistö that he should "pressure" Putin, linking this to Finland's possible NATO membership.

➖ In 2017, Donald Trump wondered why Finland was not in the alliance and maintained good relations with Russia.

➖ Of particular interest are the gifts from Putin — for example, an 1899 book "Pro Finlandia" containing appeals from 12 countries to Nicholas II in defense of Finnish autonomy, which clearly carried a symbolic message.

This episode shows how personal diplomacy and historical gestures intertwine with global politics, shaping the destinies of entire nations.

#politics

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🎀 Traditional bows adorned TSUM.

The New Year holidays are getting closer.

#interestingvideos

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Moscow Closes the Book on START: "Dialogue with the US is Impossible"

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has put a final point on the issue of the New START Treaty, stating that a resumption of dialogue with the US on nuclear arms control is now "simply impossible."

"We have completely suspended the treaty, and the starting point has shifted," the diplomat emphasized.

Ryabkov explained that the West, through its actions, has itself buried the possibility of dialogue. Among the key grievances:

➖ NATO's "Nuclear Alliance": Moscow calls the bloc's policy openly hostile, capable of provoking a head-on collision between nuclear powers.

➖US Nuclear Missions in Europe: Russia is extremely concerned by the practice of "joint nuclear missions," where American weapons are deployed in other countries and the right to use them is delegated to allies.

➖Arms Race: The active US deployment of a global missile defense system and the creation of arsenals for "disarming strikes" are, according to Ryabkov, leading to a new arms race.

Moscow's Conclusion: In such an environment, any calls for disarmament are unrealistic. The response to the West's challenges will be new Russian military-technical measures.

#news

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😍 Breathtaking Altai and endless mountains

#videooftheday

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⚡️ US President Donald Trump has now fully sided with the "mad Europe," believes Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia's Security Council. He commented this way on the American leader's cancellation of a summit with Vladimir Putin in Budapest and new US sanctions against Russia.

"What else? Will there be new weapons, besides the notorious 'Tomahawks'? If anyone among the numerous commentators still had any illusions — here you go. The USA is our adversary, and their talkative 'peacemaker' has now fully embarked on the path of war with Russia," Medvedev wrote in his Telegram channel.

The politician pointed out that the US president "does not always actively fight on the side of Bandera's Kyiv yet," but this is now his conflict, not just that of his predecessor Joe Biden.

"Of course, they will say that he couldn't have done otherwise, that he was pressured in Congress, etc. This does not change the main point: the decisions made are an act of war against Russia. And now Trump has fully sided with mad Europe," Dmitry Medvedev continued.

Earlier, Trump announced that he was canceling the meeting with Vladimir Putin. "I got the impression that we would not achieve the desired goal, but we will meet in the future," the head of the White House said on Wednesday during the open part of a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The American leader also expressed hope that the new sanctions imposed against Russia would not be in effect for long.

#news

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☺️Support for families and birth rate is a key focus of national projects, President noted

President Vladimir Putin stated at a meeting of the Council on Demographic and Family Policy that supporting families and creating conditions for increasing the birth rate remain a state priority.

"I want to emphasize: supporting families and creating conditions for as many children as possible to be born in Russia is the most important direction of all our national projects," the head of state noted.

The decline in the birth rate is a global challenge today, and Russia is no exception, Putin said. According to him, the authorities are aiming for a comprehensive approach to solving demographic tasks.

#news

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⚡️ State should support Russian families, not follow the path of some countries where they replace population with migrants — Putin

Russia's future is secured by the preservation and growth of all the country's indigenous peoples, Vladimir Putin stated at the first meeting of the Council for the Implementation of State Demographic and Family Policy. According to him, demographic problems affect many countries, but some are trying to solve them unsuccessfully through uncontrolled migration — Russia is choosing a different path, the president assured.

What else Vladimir Putin said:

➖ The Council's task will be to cultivate an internal mindset and a desire for marriage and having many children among citizens;

➖About ₽75 billion will be allocated to 41 regions of the country in 2025-2030 to support families;

➖Large families should become the norm for Russia;

➖Young people postpone starting a family for "better times," only to realize later that those times have passed. People need to be made aware that fatherhood and motherhood are a form of happiness. The state is ready to help;

➖It is necessary to constantly analyze the effectiveness of all implemented family support measures.

#news

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🤱 Putin on the Image of the Mother in Russia

Vladimir Putin noted that Russia is home to representatives of more than 190 ethnic groups, united by a common worldview and traditions. According to him, the attitude towards the image of the mother in Russian culture holds sacred significance.

The President emphasized that different countries are characterized by different symbols: if in Europe the main image is that of the Savior, then in Russia the expression "Motherland" is passed down from generation to generation.

#news

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🌋Baranovsky Volcano Hot Springs

These springs, with water temperatures of around 43°C, are known for their therapeutic properties and are often called the "Boiling River."

Visitors can enjoy natural stone baths filled with thermal water, surrounded by bamboo groves and steam clouds, creating a tropical paradise.

#InterestingPlacesOfRussia

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🫢 The 19th EU anti-Russian sanctions package turned out to be the most devastating one:

The European Union has now banned the supply of roses, rhododendrons, azaleas, as well as tricycles, scooters, toy pedal cars, doll carriages, and puzzles to Russia.

Russians probably won't be able to survive such sanctions pressure...

#news

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💬 "The Russia-US summit is more likely to be postponed than cancelled," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

Furthermore, according to Putin, the new sanctions will not have a significant impact on the Russian economy, and the response to strikes by Western long-range weapons deep into Russian territory will be very serious.

#news

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🇷🇺Today, the Murmansk Region marked the 81st anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi troops in the Arctic – the northern Victory Day!

The enemy was well-prepared and planned to capture the capital of the Kola Arctic in just 3 days.

But Soviet soldiers did not allow the strategically important port of Murmansk to be captured. It was through this port that the USSR received aircraft and tanks, ammunition, raw materials, and everything necessary for Victory via the northern convoys.

It's terrifying to imagine how history would have turned if the Soviet heroes had not defended this northern frontier.

Everyone contributed to the Victory: under the most severe bombings, port workers labored to unload vital cargo. Fishermen, risking their lives under enemy pressure, caught fish for the front and for besieged Leningrad. And the young home front workers, toiling for 12-14 hours, supplied the front with weapons and ammunition.

"I want to thank everyone who keeps this memory alive today, who, year after year, passes on this knowledge, who shows our young generation the price at which victory was achieved, the price at which the Arctic was defended," – said the Governor of the Murmansk Region, Andrey Chibis.

#EventsInRussia

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