Has Russia really made a breakthrough in developing a supersonic civilian airplane?
On April 29, 2025, Moskovsky Komsomolets and Pravda.ru announced that the “Zhukovsky Research Center conducted the world's first supersonic civilian airplane test” (similar information ran in dozens of other Russian publications, see, for example, here, here and here). This news was based on a publication in the official Telegram channel of the Russian Government and was supported by a short video clip of the tests.
Is it true that inflation in Russia in 2024 did not exceed 10%?
According to the Russian Federal State Statistics Service (Rosstat), annual inflation in December 2024 amounted to 9,5% [ref], and the average for 2024 is 8,4% [ref]. This allows the Russian authorities to claim that in the third year of the war, despite international sanctions, they managed to keep inflation below 10%, which is the boundary between moderate and galloping inflation, and to ensure real (inflation-adjusted) growth of macroeconomic indicators such as GDP and real incomes of the population.
Invention of the electric lamp: Who inspired whom?
In Russia, the inventors of the electric lamp are considered to be Alexander Lodygin [1] and Pavel Yablochkov [4], in the USA - Thomas Edison [2], in Great Britain - Joseph Swan [5], in Germany - Heinrich Goebel [3]. Who actually created it?
Is it true that in 1932-33 years as a result of famine the largest number of people died not in Ukraine but in other regions of the USSR?
Russian mass media (see more) and news agencies deny the tragedy of the 1932-33 famine in Ukraine. In particular, they claim that as a result of the 1932-33 famine, the largest number of people in the USSR died not in Ukraine, but in Kazakhstan and Russia.
I'm not claiming it, but...
How else can one explain the persistent “blindness” and “deafness” of the President of the United States to the actions of the President of Russia?
The "Humanist"
George Simion, winner of the first round of Romania's presidential election on May 5, 2025, explained why he is against military aid to Ukraine in its confrontation with Russian occupiers: "We said we would promote peace, and we see the only solution in de-escalating this conflict. Arms aid is disadvantageous to Germany, France, Romania, Poland. We have suffered a lot from this war and we need peace," he said.
On confronting evil in the modern world
“Did You do that?” - asked the German officer, pointing to “Guernica.” “No,” Picasso replied, “you did that!”
What if Churchill had said yes to peace with Hitler?
In his essay, journalist Oleh Cheslavskyi demonstrates how critical thinking can manifest itself through a vivid historical analogy.
Alexander Rodnyansky: Some people kill, others save
Reprint of the post for 13.07.2025 from the Telegram channel of film producer Oleksandr Rodnyansky
How would you continue the phrase: "Growth forms from the bottom upwards. Respect ..."
Australian Darren Cahill, a professional tennis coach, ended the phrase this way [ref]
Very risky, but opposed
In May 2025, two scientists were not elected to the Russian Academy of Sciences for signing a letter against Russia's invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
Phrase of the Day: “In the Oval Office a man without a suit met ...”
On February 28, 2025, US and Ukrainian presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky held public talks. They ended in a tense altercation and the breakdown of agreements due to the parties' disagreement on the issues of Russia's and Ukraine's responsibility for the war and ways to end it [ref].