5 Obstacles to Peace in Syria

Ten months after the bloodshed in Syria was formally recognized as a civil war by the Red Cross, Moscow and Washington are finally working together to end it, at least in terms of public diplomacy.

Amidst Amish Past, Russia’s Lokomotiv Sees Hockey Future

In this quiet Pennsylvania town in the heart of Amish country, where life moves at a pace from bygone times, Russia’s Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team has set its sights squarely on the future, looking to move beyond a past marred by tragedy.

5 Questions on Russian S-300 Missile System Sales to Syria

Originally posted at 21:37.

If fresh media reports are true, Russia, Syria’s longtime supplier of military equipment, may soon provide Damascus – or already has – with advanced S-300 air defense systems, tipping the balance in the devastating 26-month conflict in the Middle Eastern country. But the “if” is a big one.

Falconry in Russia: From the Tsarist Era Through the Modern Day

MOSCOW – RIA Novosti, Dmitry Vinogradov

Falcon hunting was a popular pastime for Russian nobles in the tsarist era. In modern times, falcons are employed in more serious jobs. RIA Novosti’s Dmitry Vinogradov reports on where the age-old craft of the falconer is in demand today, how a falcon can be tamed, why it normally returns to its owner, and what can make it fly away.