Russian

Good Night, Little Ones! (Спокойной ночи, малыши!) is a Russian cartoon that’s been on the air ever since 1964. Its website claims that it is the longest-running cartoon of all time, and three generations of Russians have grown up on it. It’s aimed at very young children. In terms of its content, the show is part-educational, part-entertainment. […]

Smeshariki (Смешарики; taken from the words смешные, “funny,” and шарики, “balloons”) is a Russian cartoon series for young children. It tells of the daily lives and occasional adventures of nine little balloon-creatures. Thus far, the show, which started in 2004, consists of more than 450 episodes of around 10 minutes each. It sounds silly, but the […]

Masha and the Bear (Маша и Медведь) is a highly popular Russian cartoon series that originated in 2009. Now in its eighth year and its third season, it consists so far of 60 seven-minute episodes, featuring cute animation and few words. It’s already a classic—among not only Russian children but also students of the Russian language. The […]

OrAngeLove (Оранжлав; the stylized capitalization is a feature of the English-language title) is a Ukrainian 2009 drama about love, AIDS, and the 2005 Orange Revolution. The film takes place vaguely against the background of the Orange Revolution, but worlds apart from it. Two people, Katya and Roman, after falling in love on a trolleybus, have locked […]

Orange Sky (Помаранчеве небо) is a 2006 Ukrainian film that turns the 2005 Orange Revolution into a love story. The film’s tag line, “Revolution is love” (“Революція—це кохання”), is a pretty neat expression of the film’s content. The film tells the story of Mark Zaduhka (Марк Задуха), one of Ukraine’s so-called “golden youth.” He’s from […]

Nashe Radio plays popular music that isn’t quite “pop.” What’s big in Russian-language rock, rap, punk, R&B, and alternative? Nashe Radio’s all-Russian and eclectic playlist can tell you. Once a month, SRAS provides a snapshot of what’s at the top of their charts, with YouTube videos and links to our Russian music site. The following […]

Russkoe Radio plays pop music exclusively in Russian. What’s big in Russian-language pop and dance music? Russkoe Radio’s pop playlists can tell you. Once a month, SRAS provides a snapshot of what’s at the top of their charts, with YouTube videos and links to our Russian music site.   1. “Твои Глаза” (“Your Eyes”)—Світлана Лобода […]

Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom (Зима у вогні: Боротьба України за свободу) is a 2015 documentary film about Ukraine’s Euromaidan protests. Told in English, Ukrainian, and Russian and composed of real footage from the protests, it is an on-the-ground, heartrending, and occasionally graphic look at Ukraine’s recent history. The film travels through the […]