#kiril famous

[shalpilot]

also do not eat anything

[hollenka99]

Something something Freddie being the reason Kiril's childhood innocence was taken from him early in the form of learning about the fratricide tradition but Freddie also being one of Kiril's anchors/reasons to keep going when everything falls apart following the purge.

Like what if you knew your only ally who could ever understand things the way you do was your fellow survivor? And what if he doesn't actually fully have the same perspective as you because he is a child? What if you wanted to give him the world as compensation but in the end, it only corrupted you until one of you died because of it? What if you left him to fend for himself because of your mistakes? Or maybe those mistakes haunt you both figuratively and literally until they drag you down, one brother pushing the other underwater while frantically attempting to keep their head above the surface.

[tanasha-not-yet]

i lowkey hate the way humanity handles the idea of religion so

THESE are NOT accepted in MY HOUSE /lh

genuinely curious what does a boris look like

handsome

[xoxoskai]

Before anything else, I want to make it abundantly clear that these are all speculations.

I have taken whatever I could from the books and little hints and crumbs and come up with this theory and in no way does it reflect what will really be in the book.

Before I present my theory as to who the White Mask is, I want to cover who it isn't.

1. Vaughn Morozov

For everyone who doesn't know who Vaughn is, he's Kirill and Sasha's son and was, until recently, prime suspect #1 but Rina confirmed he will not be a part of Legacy of Gods so that essentially votes him out of this immediately.

2. Remington Astor

Before I started reading this series and had only heard of the White Mask, my first immediate guess went to the most unsuspecting person, Remi. Simply because no one would expect that from him and also because chances were that my man had more demons in his closet than he was letting on (like his Dad). However, he is not getting a book and the White Mask mystery is too good to not be revealed in a book which made me rule him out (sorrows and prayers, RemiAri you will always be famous)

3. Eli King

First of all, why would a 26 y/o participate in a passtime game of tag with college students? He's preparing to inherit an entire kingdom and I can't see him chasing people around for shits and giggles or for a more bloodthirsty reason. He simply does not have the time for it. Besides, even if he's not part of the Elites, he's dedicated to the entire united front that the Kings love to showcase which he won't betray just to satisfy his bloodlust (he might have other methods for it that does not require him to join the Heathens).

Which brings me to my prime suspect,

Ava Nash

Over the course of the first three books (Legacy of; Malice, Pain and Wrath), there were a lot of things that were said about Ava or in connection to her that hinted on something far more than simply words tossed to the wind.

(I will be referencing all of them and going forward will refer to the White Mask as WM)

I think the first, most obvious conclusion most people made was that the White Masked Heathen could be a girl. While the four known Heathens are all described as tall and muscular, it was specifically mentioned that WM was leaner.

(God of Wrath, Chapter 1, pg. 10)

Comes and goes as they please.

(God of Malice, Chapter 19, pg. 1)

Cherry could seduce the guards but not WM.

(God of Malice, Chapter 38, pg. 13)

Choice of weapon: Chains.

I always found this the most interesting because Killian, Jeremy and Nikolai rely on their strengths to wield their weapons whether it's a bat or a golf club or bare fists. It takes a considerable amount of power to swing those and inflict enough damage and pain.

But chains are easier to maneuver if you do not possess the actual strength to physically overpower your opponent. They can be swung at someone, used to disarm them or trip people or effectively cut air supply without exerting too much energy.

(God of Wrath, Chapter 1, pg. 9; God of Malice, Chapter 16, pg. 2)

Yes, I hear you. All of this is nice and good and obvious but where does Ava fit in?

Remember when Ava Nash took a shot for having done illegal things but not elaborating? There is so much more to her than what meets the eye.

Time and again, Ava has displayed tendencies that depict that violence does not bother that. That she finds it fun.

God of Malice, Chapter 7, pg. 2; God of Wrath, Chapter 4, pg. 8; God of Pain, Chapter 5, pg. 3; God of Wrath, Epilogue 2, pg. 1; God of Wrath, Chapter 25, pg. 2 God of Wrath, Chapter 25, pg. 2

Most Heathens: Jeremy, Killian and Nikolai partake in the brutal initiation to satiate their bloodlust of some sort. While Ava might not necessarily have the same level of thirst for violence as them, she is definitely a rule-breaker, loves treading the line between what is allowed and what isn't and has the most inside knowledge about the Heathens, something I will discuss in more detail soon.

If it's not obvious enough still,

Rina Kent does not like going with the obvious. She loves surprises and plot twists and I love getting surprised and having my mind blown.

Ava finds the entire concept of the initiation "fun" when mostly everyone outside of the Heathens has expressed distaste.

The reason I brought up WM's weapon of choice is because it was fascinating to me how Rina didn't go the conventional way of making Ava a pianist or a violinist which are usually what music majors in fiction pursue. She's a cellist. So, she probably has experience lugging her instrument to and from places. It speaks of considerable strength that she probably has carrying an instrument that weighs roughly 5-7 pounds around the campus daily, for years.

Every LoG book so far has been a Heathen X REU pairing.

Killian Carson X Glyndon King

Annika Volkov X Creighton King

Jeremy Volkov X Cecily Knight

Mia Sokolov X Landon King

Nikolai Sokolov X Brandon King

And lastly, Ava Nash X Eli King.

MORE STUFF SOON<3

[puckpocketed]

excerpted LA Kings prospect updates from In The Pipeline - by John Hoven (link / archive link) published 24th December, 2024.

Some really interesting stuff in here, some narratives of interest (including a guy that played shutdown minutes against M.Celebrini and W.Smith's respective lines during last year's Frozen Four) scuttling up and hoarding it on here for safekeeping. Article covers a bunch more prospects but i just grabbed what jumped out at me - any emphasis mine.

First and foremost: BOYWONDER!!! am not kidding when I say im fighting for my fucking life to find updates on this kid <3

Aatu Jamsen – There may not be a more exciting player to talk about in this entire article. That’s not to say he’s the biggest or the most skilled but he’ll make you move to the edge of your seat when he hops over the boards. Another in a long line of seventh-round draft picks, the lanky forward came over from Finland this summer after two successful seasons in Liiga. Known primarily as a winger, Sturm has been using him more and more as a center this season, something the Reign coach says he likes because it gives Jamsen more puck touches. He was instantly noticeable when he first came over for Development Camp a few years ago and scored both years he played at the Rookie Faceoff. More on Jamsen – As if on cue to our point above, the wiry 6-foot-2 forward capped off his weekend with a Gordie Howe hat trick on Sunday night in Ontario.

like hes sooo darlingcreature to me. exactly the type of all-flash, all-personality player i ADORE!! hope ontreign make playoffs and he drops a mixtape <3

muddling my way through the rest under the cut

Kirill Kirsanov – Even the most ardent Kings fan likely knows very little about Kirsanov, yet that should begin to change soon. At the 2021 NHL Draft, the Kings selected only four players, with Mark Yannetti (Director of Amateur Scouting) saying the team went for ‘quality over quantity’ that year. Along with Kirsanov, LA took Brandt Clarke, Francesco Pinelli and Samuel Helenius in 2021 – just to give you a small flavor of the company he was in. Now 22 years old, the 6-foot-2 left shot was in LA for Development Camp this past summer but was limited to off-ice activity only following knee surgery the month prior. One key thing to know is that legendary Russian hockey icon Igor Larionov has become Kirsanov’s mentor (and was even in LA with him over the summer). He’s helping guide the young blueliner on and off the ice as he grows professionally.

secret prospect... little guy who has imprinted on someone very famous who i dont really know about <3 good for him... i love learning there was some guy in the system i didnt know existed. by the by, would KILL to pick their brains about the drafting strategy mentioned here. Frankie P is tearing it up in ontreign and of course SamHel getting time in the NHL + not looking out of place at all sayin a LOT here about what they think Kirsanov can be

Jared Woolley – Yannetti and his staff typically have a field day in the latter two rounds, and Woolley looks to be the latest in a long line of those gems. After being a bit of a hidden secret in the OHL last season, only getting into about half the games for a deep London Knights club that went all the way to the Memorial Cup, the word is now out on the 6-foot-5 left shot; he’s really good. Among the top echelon of players at Development Camp in July – something that isn’t often said about 18-year-olds at their first NHL camp — Woolley has put his physical, heavy game on full display this season (including three fights thus far). He also has a strong defensive approach, which is one of the many reasons coaches love him. This season, reports say he’s trying to do more and more with the puck, yielding good but somewhat uneven results. Kings management are believed to have encouraged this type of growth this season, wanting to see him push the boundaries of what he may have thought he was capable of at this point. All in all, he looks like a pro player and is rocketing up the LA prospect rankings.

EYE!! LOVE !! when players change and grow their game. i love it so bad. to know exactly who you are and decide you are capable of more, to reach for the STARS.....!!!!!!!!!!!! augh... <3 I hope Woolley gets everything he's after and more. Also christ alive the London Knights have a lot of NHL prospects .

Jared Wright – Saying Wright can do no wrong may be overplayed, but it’s true. He’s such a smooth skater, look for that to be his calling card over the next few years. Similar to Connors, his production will come at important times, not all the time. This season, Wright is one of only two DU players to play every game who has yet to commit a penalty (the other, coincidentally, is Reeder). During last year’s NCAA playoffs, Wright was tasked with holding off guys like Macklin Celebrini and Will Smith, which he did and then still found time to score himself. He gets good reads off the puck, creates havoc and generates opportunities for others on the ice, even on nights when he doesn’t show up on the score sheet. Most players need to be on the power play to get points in college hockey. Wright was on it last year, and even started there this year, but hasn't been getting time with the man advantage most of the season. Thus, his minutes are hard — he's getting shutdown matchups vs. top lines and is playing on DU's first penalty kill unit.

I will be honest i do NOT watch DU games for this guy. but maybe I should?? I love good defence, i love shutdown defence. I love demoralising the opponent by giving up literally nothing and denying them everything <3 The LA Kings' suffocating defense runs through their forwards and he absolutely has a place here if this is his game!! The lack of penalties and defensive responsibility... hes like a bitty Kopitar <3

edit: ALSO I NEED HIM TO MAKE IT TO THE NHL SO WSH AND MACKLINI CAN LOOK HIM IN THE EYE AND WITHER BECAUSE HE STOLE THEIR FROZEN FOUR DREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!

Koehn Ziemmer – He had an outside shot at playing in the AHL this season before it was ultimately decided one more year in the WHL would be most beneficial – especially after missing nearly all of last season following ankle surgery. Selected by LA in the third round (2023), Ziemmer can flat-out score goals. He really excels with the puck on his stick. If he’s not filling the back of the net, the 6-foot-1 right shot has solid secondary playmaking abilities. Perhaps that’s why he’s been utilized at center quite often this season, after being primarily a winger for most of his time in Prince George the past four years. Similar to guys like Tyler Toffoli and Tanner Pearson at similar stages in their careers, once Ziemmer adjusts to the physical training component of being a pro, he’ll be an NHL player because he brings multiple attributes to the table. He’s hit a lot of centennial markers for his WHL career so far this season: 200 GP, 100 G, 100 A, and 200 points. More on Ziemmer – He’s earned the nickname "Pizza Delivery Boy," because when Prince George scores five goals at home, fans get a free pizza. Of the 16 home games played by the Cougars, they’ve hit that mark six times – with Ziemmer scoring the "Pizza Goal" four times.

PIZZA BOY!!!! PIZZA BOY GET IN MY POCKET <3 HI. I did watch a Cougars match where he scored the game tying goal to take them to OT for my weekly Wednesday Night in the Dub liveblog. I was rather distracted on account of all the seething i was doing @ joshua ravensbergen (cougars goalie.. my nemesis.... unwillingly endeared to him now........) BUT i was rooting for him <3

[mariacallous]

Stay and fight, future clients!

Journalists at Agentstvo Media have learned that the man who appears in a recent selfie video promoted by Z-bloggers urging men in the Kursk region to stay and fight the Ukrainian military is actually the owner of a tombstone and funeral business in St. Petersburg. Four years ago, Kirill Vlasikov changed his name to Suvorov (apparently to boost his tombstone business that bears the Suvorov name — which means "severe" in Russian and is the name of a famous 18th-century Russian general and military theorist). Besides tombstones, Suvorov’s business offers cremation, burial, and transportation services specifically for soldiers killed in combat. He told Agentstvo directly that he believes men living in Kursk should stay and help resist the Ukrainians and said he sends humanitarian aid to Russian troops in Ukraine. He declined to answer when asked if he plans to enlist with Russia’s armed forces.

[duchesssoflennox]

Is there any royal family that you dislike you can name more than 1 ;)

Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich's family 😒

Of all the royals I've ever known, grand duke Vladimir Alexandrovich (paternal uncle of Tsar Nicholas II) and his family have always been my least favorite.☹️

They are my least favorite for the following reasons:

Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich and his wife Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna were hostile and disloyal to Emperor Nicholas II, who was Vladimir's nephew and Maria's cousin. They held a rival court at their palace in Saint Petersburg and spread malicious gossip about the Emperor and his wife Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.

Maria Pavlovna was ambitious and greedy, and used her influence to obtain money, jewels, and estates from the Tsar and other wealthy people. She also exploited her position as the president of the Russian Red Cross to embezzle funds and supplies for her personal use

She was arrogant and snobbish, and looked down on other members of the Imperial Family, especially those who married below their rank or were not of Russian origin. She also despised the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, whom she considered a German spy and a bad influence on the Tsar

Kirill Vladimirovich, son of Vladimir Alexandrovich and Maria Pavlovna, is best known for his scandalous affair with his married first cousin, Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh.

Kirill and Victoria Melita got married years later, after Victoria Melita divorced her first husband. Their marriage was considered incestuous and morganatic by the Russian Orthodox Church and the Imperial Family, and caused a scandal in the Royal Courts of Europe and Great Britain

Kirill betrayed Emperor Nicholas II during the February Revolution of 1917, when he marched to the Tauride Palace wearing a red armband to show his support for the Provisional Government. He also renounced his rights to the Russian throne in 1917, but later claimed them back in 1924, proclaiming himself as the head of the House of Romanov and the rightful heir to the throne, despite the existence of other senior claimants.

Boris Vladimirovich is known for his scandalous affair with his married first cousin Queen Marie of Romania! Boris Vladimirovich was a notorious playboy and gambler, who spent lavishly on women, cars, and parties. He had numerous affairs and illegitimate children, and was involved in several scandals with actresses, dancers, and socialites. He was disloyal to his cousin, Emperor Nicholas II, and supported the February Revolution of 1917 that overthrew the monarchy. He also collaborated with the Bolsheviks and accepted their protection after the October Revolution, while most of his relatives fled or were killed. He was selfish and greedy, and used his influence to obtain money, jewels, and property from the Soviet government. He also sold some of his family's treasures and artworks to foreign collectors and museums.

Elena Vladimirovna was considered snobbish and vain by some people, including her mother's social rival, Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna. She also allegedly refused to greet her sister-in-law Princess Marie Bonaparte and drew back her skirts as if not to be touched by her...

Andrei Vladimirovich had an affair with the famous ballerina Mathilde Kschessinska, who was also the former mistress of Nicholas II and two other grand dukes. He married her in 1921 and recognized her son as his, even though the boy's paternity was uncertain.

Thanks for Asking 🥰🫶

[blackpilledkremlintsarina5294]

December 18-19, 2009

A ceremony to launch the new Arctic shuttle tanker Kirill Lavrov named after the famous Russian actor took place at the Admiralty Shipyard in St Petersburg. The ship was consecrated by the dean of the St Nicholas Epiphany Cathedral, Father Bogdan, and actress Alisa Freindlikh, Kirill Lavrov’s colleague. After that, Vladimir Putin visited the Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theatre. He reassured the artists that the theatre building would be renovated soon. He then went to the Russian Geographical Society’s headquarters. Vladimir Putin was elected head of the Russian Geographical Society’s Board of Trustees in November 2009. In the evening, the Prime Minister had a workout at the School of Athletic Excellence. Vladimir Putin returned to Moscow from St Petersburg onboard a Sapsan train. A new high-speed train started regular service between the two cities on December 18 with speeds reaching up to 300 kilometers per hour.

[juststayquiete]

Tag people you want to get to know better

Tagged by dear @quaddmgd kith kith kith

Favorite Color: Purple! Yeah, the same Normal Amount tm as the other people who love purple........

Currently Reading: K that's been a while..... I don't even read fics lately, but I DO have a dozen of books that are waiting for me for ages lmao rn I really want to reread the Clockwork Orange....

Last Song: God why this question came up when I'm in my ru rap era I'm so ashamed skjdfkafkasjksd it's Jamik - Авторитеты

Last Movie: The Thing 1982. I liked it!!! The last 20 min were so intense!!! And the ending was cool!!!

Last Series: I don't watch series but I'm currently rewatching anime Double Decker Doug and Kirill. The second hand embarassment is real BUT I love it nonetheless

Sweet, Savory, or Spicy: I'm a picky eater so Idk it depends on the food......

Craving: I'm full rn and crave nothing skldjfksf

Tea or Coffee: Tea!!! My people are famous for drinking tea (yeah like the british lol) so I'm as a proud daughter of my ancestors usually drink like 4-6 cups of black tea with milk :3

Currently Working On: Nothing 💀💀💀 I'm really busy with my job rn and also I got sick so no, lich rally nothing *cries*

Tagging @hydrasshole @escelymir @fly-amanitaa @another-corpo-rat @civilization-illstayrighthere and whoever want to paricipate no pressure ofc <3333333

[ilyasorokinn]

misc. masterlist, part 2 (western conference)

this masterlist is basically just blurbs, and maybe some fics, that i'm not proud of (but don't want to delete) or players i no longer write for. just because they are on this list doesn't mean i don't write for them. this list will probably grow as time goes on, i don't know.

key: name = do write for currently name = no longer write for *= from a prompt list

arizona coyotes,

✷ 3+1 (travis dermott) - y/n tells travis some very exciting news.

colorado avalanche,

✷ cute babies (bowen byram) - y/n tells bowen they make cute babies and wants to have another one.

✷ post-roadie cuddles (ross colton) - ross comes home after a roadie and all he wants is to cuddle. *

✷ hair transformations (cale makar) - y/n and cale have a youtube channel together, and y/n surprises scale with a hair transformation.

chicago blackhawks,

✷ make it better (anthony beauvillier) - Anthony had caught word that y/n has a bad day, so being the good boyfriend he is, he takes care of her and helps turn her bad day into a semi-good one. *

dallas stars,

✷ bubs the pup (roope hintz) - y/n finds a dog and brings it home with her.

✷ beach braids (roope hintz) - y/n and roope braid each other's hair on the beach. *

✷ wired autocomplete interview (tyler seguin) - y/n and tyler do a wired autocomplete interview.

✷ couples account (tyler seguin) - y/n and tyler pull tiktok pranks on each other (and the dogs).

✷ slow swayin' in the kitchen (tyler seguin) - the only rosie can fall asleep is if someone is holding her and swaying. *

edmonton oilers,

✷ an old married couple (dylan halloway) - y/n and dylan are kind of like the old married couple of their friend group, so everyone always goes to them for advice. *

los angeles kings,

✷ cuddle (erik portillo) - movie nights are erik's favorite. why? cuddling.

✷ there for him (erik portillo) - y/n's there for erik after the loss.

✷ safe in these arms (alex turcotte) - alex had a pretty bad day, but knows the second you wrap your arms around him, he'll be okay. *

✷ proud of you (alex turcotte) - y/n and alex are talking about their future, and talking about how proud they are of each other. *

minnesota wild,

✷ hat trick (matt boldy) - y/n's with matt when he scores his first hat trick.

✷ matt boldy's imfamous cheese quesadillas (matt boldy) - y/n has a bad day, so matt makes her his world-famous dish. *

✷ sweet dreams (matt boldy) - matt wakes up after a bad dream. luckily y/n's there to help him fall back asleep.

✷ kirill night (kirill kaprizov) - after. aloss, y/n spends the night comforting kirill. *

nashville predators,

✷ new job - (juuse saros) y/n works with kids, so she gets sick at least once a year, but luckily juuse’s always there to take care of her. *

st. louis blues,

✷ time to go (colton parayko) - colton drags y/ out after a long day of work where they fall alseep, mid party. *

vancouver canucks,

✷ job opportunities (brock boeser) - y/n gets a call, while hanging out with family, that she got the job she wanted. *

✷ daddy's girl (conor garland) - stella garland is a daddy's girl, especially when she gets hurt.

vegas golden knights,

✷ red, taylor's version (brendan brisson) - y/n finds out brendan is (secretly) a swiftie.

✷ post college anxiety (brendaon brisson) - y/n's been getting lots of job opportunities for after school, and brendan's getting stressed.

misc. players,

✷ britney and the astronaut (ethan edwards) - y/n and ethan's halloween costume is iconic.

✷ proud of you (ethan edwards) - y/n is there for than after the loss.

✷ sore (mark estapa) - after a hard game, mark's sore everywhere, so y/n gives him a massage.

✷ looking a little low (mark estapa) - mark comes back from the bathroom to see a guy getting a little too close.

✷ root beer floats (jimmy lambert) - y/n has a tradition of whenever she watches harry potter, she makes root beer floats. jimmy knows this, and ditches the guys to join her.

[shalpilot]

ARR elidibus is funny 2 me

[hollenka99]

Thinking of "The worst thing that has ever happened to me has already happened" to combat the pain of realising all the shit Asrit Frien went through all happened before she was 40.

[sheetmusiclibrarypdf]

Aram Khachaturian Waltz from Masquerade (sheet music)

Aram Khachaturian Waltz from Masquerade, arrangement for solo piano (Murray McLachlan, piano)Download Khachaturian's sheet music from our Library.Masquerade BackgroundPlease, subscribe to our Library. Thank you!SuiteRecordingsBest Sheet Music download from our Library.Browse in the Library:

Aram Khachaturian Waltz from Masquerade, arrangement for solo piano (Murray McLachlan, piano)

https://vimeo.com/495785314

Download Khachaturian's sheet music from our Library.

Masquerade

was written in 1941 by Aram Khachaturian as incidental music for a production of the play of the same name by Russian poet and playwright Mikhail Lermontov. It premiered on 21 June 1941 in the Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. The music is better known in the form of a five-movement suite. Background Khachaturian was asked to write music for a production of Masquerade being produced by the director Ruben Simonov. The famous waltz theme in particular gave Khachaturian much trouble in its creation: moved by the words of the play's heroine, Nina – "How beautiful the new waltz is! ... something between sorrow and joy gripped my heart." – the composer struggled to "find a theme that I considered beautiful and new". His former teacher, Nikolai Myaskovsky, attempted to help Khachaturian by giving him a collection of romances and waltzes from Lermontov's time; though these did not give immediate inspiration, Khachaturian admitted that "had it not been for the strenuous search" for the appropriate style and melodic inspiration, he would not have discovered the second theme of his waltz which acted "like a magic link, allowing me to pull out the whole chain. The rest of the waltz came to me easily, with no trouble at all." Khachaturian dedicated the waltz to the actress who played Nina, Alla Kazanskaya. Masquerade was the last production staged by the theatre before the invasion of the USSR by Germany, and the production run was cut short.[ Suite Later, in 1944, Khachaturian extracted five movements to make a symphonic suite. The movements are: - Waltz - Nocturne - Mazurka - Romance - Galop Recordings In 1954, Khachaturian recorded the Waltz, Nocturne, and Mazurka from the Suite, conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra for Columbia (also setting down some of his other scores in the same sessions). - 1958, RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin (CD), RCA 09026 63302 2 - 1992, Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi (CD), Chandos 8542 - 2008, Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, Loris Tjeknavorian (CD), ASV CDDCA 773 Read the full article

[anthosvtr]

Glory to all underground associative movie theater

In 2018 thanks to a little associative theater near where I lived, I fortunately discovered the movie "Leto" by Kirill Serebrennikov. At first I wasn’t even supposed to go out this night, but my whole family was away at a soccer game and I was dreadfully bored. While I didn’t hear about this movie before, I was deeply interested about it. In fact, at that time, any movie set in the 70s/80s and talking about music was a catch for me. So i grabbed my keys and with only thirty-five min left for a forty-minutes trip to the theater I ran. Gladly thanks to the trailer playing beforehand, I didn’t miss any minutes of it. Once I sat in that middle row I knew I was in for a good moment.

Leto, which faithfully translate to summer/summertime, is a movie set in soviet russia and tells the origin story behind the Russian rock band Kino. More precisely through the glance of a love triangle that forms between a rock'n'roll musician (Mike Naumenko, Zoopark singer), his protege (Viktor Tsoi, who will, soon became Kino lead singer), and his wife (Natasha Naumenko). The chosen name "Leto" also come from the most famous Kino song Leto "summer will be over soon".

Leto movie poster Leto, by Kirill Serebrennikov, 2018.

The movie starts just like a summer would, we discover the leading characters in a beach party scene where Viktor Tsoï meet Mike Naumenko for what’s seem the first time. Even thought, Mike is already a prominent musician in the local rock scene in Moscow, the key focus seems to already be on Viktor Tsoï who intrigues Mike but also his wife, Natasha. This introducing scene feature Mike singing. While the song seems to start peacefully by describing a summer day, the tones suddenly switch in a way that immediately set the anxious soviet environment at that time, with lyrics such as

«I recently heard someone say, There’s a comet on the way,  Gonna blow us all to bits».

This anxious environment is emphasized by the fully black and white color scheme that the movie adopts, it also appear as a nod to the famous brutalism architecture that were omnipresent at that time in Russia. 

In the movie, Russia appears as a grey and depressing country which only show colors through the lense of rock music. The only moment of joy seems to remain the ones that are topped by rock music. The movie briefly shows us that people used to run illegal record markets. It consisted of making pirates copy of rock record that were banned in Soviet Russia at that time. Sometimes, rock isn’t enough to infringe the rules, and we are reminded of the strict atmosphere through small details. In fact, during the first concert that is shown, we see that some sort of officials force attendees are present to restrain the spectators. So that they could not express too much excitement and remains sat down during the show. Since Russia was under a cold war with the west, foreign cultural movement such as rock were seen as propaganda and forbidden under any form. Russian bands could only performed in Communist Party-licensed clubs and everything was strictly supervised.

The scene that really stuck with me, is the scene that take place in what appear to be a railway carriage. While some of the main characters act obnoxiously loud, we can see that the oldest generation present on the train seems to castigate them for acting as westernized clowns. The characters, in what seem to be a hallucination scene, soon cover “Psycho Killer“ by Talking Heads. Swiftly, we are taken away by the song and the lyrics that are appearing in screaming letters behind. Some dribbles unexpectedly appear outside of the strict framework of the movie.

Extract from the railway carriage moment, Leto, by Kirill Serebrennikov, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj_c9z9JQ3M&t=105s

The utterly chaotic scene chiefly serves as a way to respond to this old generation that seems to take comfort in this dictatorship situation.

Thanks to this movie I got to discover the band Kino, which I now, listen to religiously. I could never thank enough this little movie theater that, one day, decided to be the only to show this movie near me. Forthwith, I must end by saying all the glory to underground theater!

≈ 3300 without space september, 24th 2023

[cyberbenb]

How Russia destroyed the stronghold of the Russian Orthodox Church in Odesa

The Russian Orthodox Church, whose actual representation in Ukraine is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP), is the Kremlin’s stronghold in Ukraine. It has been Russia’s mouthpiece and propagator of pro-Russian sentiment among the Ukrainian population for more than 30 years of Ukraine’s independence. It is this church that Russia is still using against Ukraine, in the ninth year of the war.

We have previously touched on how Russia uses the church as a weapon in its war against Ukraine. But on July 23, 2023, the Russian military hit Odesa’s Savior Transfiguration Cathedral which belonged to the Moscow Patriarchate. In this material, we have gathered some information on the history of the destroyed cathedral and how it turned out to be consecrated by Moscow Patriarch Kirill who blesses the Russian army and calls the war in Ukraine “domestic.”

Construction of the Cathedral 

The Soborna Square in Odesa has long been the main square of the city, where all celebrations used to take place. It was here that it was decided to build a large church that could accommodate a sufficient number of believers. Therefore, in 1794, the site was consecrated for the construction of a church in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, and in 1795, the foundation stone was laid.

The construction of the church was designed by engineer Vonrezant and completed in May 1808. The main altar was consecrated in the name of the Transfiguration of Jesus, which is why the cathedral was given the name of the Transfiguration Cathedral. The new church lacked only a bell tower, the project of which was approved in 1825 and completed in 1837.

Destruction by the Soviet regime 

After the establishment of the Red government in 1922, massive persecution of religion began. The Odesa shrine was no exception. In 1936, it was destroyed by a decision of the Soviet authorities as one that did not possess any architectural and cultural value. All the valuables were taken by truck to the Odesa Regional Financial Department –  what happened to the looted property is still unknown to this day. After the destruction of the sacred building, the Bolshevik authorities planned to install entertainment facilities on the same site, with a toilet poised to be placed  where the church’s altar once was. However, thanks to the intervention of the famous academician V. Filatov, a fountain with a large marble vase in the form of a flower was installed on the site of the altar.

Russia’s return to the cathedral under the guise of the UOC-MP

After Ukraine gained independence, it was decided to rebuild the Transfiguration Cathedral. After excavations took place in 1996-1999, the old foundation of the shrine was discovered. The first service in the church after its restoration took place in 2005.  On July 21, 2010, the church was transferred to the ownership of the Odesa Eparchy during the great consecration of the cathedral by Patriarch Kirill. 

Back in May 2022, the UOC declared a course of separation from the ROC and stopped commemorating Moscow Patriarch Kirill because of the ROC’s support for the war against Ukraine. Condemning the position of Moscow Patriarch Kirill, on May 27, 2022, the Council of the UOC-MP announced that it was severing its ties with Moscow. The resolution states that the Council adopted amendments to its Charter, which certify their full autonomy and independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Despite the fact that the “MP” part has since been formally dropped from their name, many clergymen, religious scholars, and journalists point to the sham nature of such changes. First of all, the Synod did not apply proclaim the autocephaly of either the Moscow Patriarch or the Ecumenical (Constantinople) Patriarch. Secondly, as of October 14, 2022, the updated Statute of the UOC-MP has not yet been officially published.

Earlier the Security Service of Ukraine conducted searches in the dioceses of the UOC-MP in different regions of Ukraine because of the subversive activities of its representatives. The Service reported that it had found Russian passports, propaganda literature, millions in cash, and evidence of ties to armed groups in the Donetsk region and in Russia. A complete severance of the UOC’s ties with Russia has thus not yet taken place. 

Destruction of the Cathedral by Russia 

On the night of July 23, 2023, the cathedral was severely damaged by a missile attack by Russian troops. “The Odesa Eparchy of the UOC once again condemns the Russian aggression against Ukraine, this terrorist act against the main shrine and spiritual heart of the city of Odesa – the Transfiguration Cathedral, around which civilians live, and the cathedral itself is in no way connected with military facilities,” the eparchy said in a statement issued following Russia’s attack on Odesa. No checks by the Ukrainian Security Service on the presence of a Russian trace in the Transfiguration Cathedral were conducted before the attack. 

However, the Cathedral is considered the main church of the Odesa diocese of the UOC, which is headed by Metropolitan Agafangel, one of the most loyal bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-MP in the past. For years, the Russian Orthodox Church has been training “church agents” to spread imperialist narratives about Russia and the need to return Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova to its fold. We can still see the results of these actions: the so-called UOC-MP has many clergy with an anti-Ukrainian position. Scandalous exposes of such “clergy” regularly appear in the media.

The Russian Orthodox Church still considers the UOC its part despite the latter having been granted autocephaly in 2019. At a meeting of the ROC bishops on July 19, 2023, in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill announced a possible decision to “fall into schism” of the Ukrainian clergy who had stopped commemorating him. Only a part of the UOC-MP bishops who are under occupation in Donbas and Crimea attended the meeting.

Russia destroys everything in Ukraine indiscriminately: from residential areas and critical infrastructure to the strongholds of the Russian church that are hidden in the monuments of Ukrainian architecture and history. 

[mariacallous]

Last week, at a plenary session of the Russian State Duma, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko laid out his extremely regressive vision of what a woman’s life trajectory should look like. In Murashko’s view, women who pursue education and careers before having children are shirking their “responsibility” to their country and its future demographic success. The statements came amid a push by the ministry to restrict Russians’ access to medication abortion; according to the independent outlet Verstka, however, the real instigator of the initiative is the Russian Orthodox Church. Russia’s religious authorities have long opposed abortion in all forms, but they’ve achieved a new level of political influence since the start of the full-scale war as Moscow has abandoned even the pretense of a separation between church and state. Meduza summarizes Verstka’s report.

The Russian Health Ministry is losing ground in its standoff with the Russian Orthodox Church on the issue of abortion, knowledgeable sources told journalists from Verstka. The Russian authorities are poised to limit access to medication abortions in the near future, but the sources say the church would like to secure more serious restrictions as well.

By the end of this year, the government may restrict the sale of medical abortion products, according to two sources familiar with ongoing discussions about the initiative. Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko has said as much, and the Health Ministry has reportedly prepared a draft order to add the abortion medications Misoprostol and Mifepristone to its list of controlled substances. At the same time, according to the sources, the decision has been challenging for the authorities on a political level, and the initiative’s biggest advocate and beneficiary is the Russian Orthodox Church. In the future, the sources said, the laws governing abortions in Russia could very well become even more restrictive, and could potentially expand to include the removal of emergency contraception drugs from public sale altogether.

One source said the church is “pushing through” the anti-abortion measures, and that the current moment is an especially opportune one. While before the full-scale war Russia at least pretended to uphold the principles of a secular state, now the authorities are trying to embed the purported “traditional values” of the Russian Orthodox Church ever deeper into the country’s political and legislative agenda, he said. The church was always a major player in Russian politics, according to the source, but in recent months, it seems to have “received a carte blanche” and can now “bend [other parties] over its knee” in many policy discussions. The most obvious example has been the controversial transfer of the painter Andrey Rublev’s famous Trinity icon from Moscow’s Tretyakov Gallery to the city’s Christ the Savior Cathedral, said the source. “And that’s only the beginning,” he added. “We’re no longer waiting for the fusion of church and state; that happened a long time ago.”

This isn’t the first time the Russian Orthodox Church has lobbied for specific policies. In 2022, for example, church leader Patriarch Kirill urged Vladimir Putin not to support a bill to prevent domestic violence.

Converging interests

The Russian Orthodox Church has always opposed abortions in any form, a source who attended meetings on the topic told Verstka, while the Health Ministry has traditionally opposed the church. According to the source, the ministry has long held the position that banning abortions does nothing to make them less frequent or increase the country’s birth rate (claims that have been borne out in other countries that have restricted abortion). “In other words, under the current circumstances, the Health Ministry can lower the number of abortions by having doctors work with women who come to antenatal clinics and talk them out of seeking the treatment by explaining that it poses risks to their health and that they shouldn’t do it,” he said. “If abortion is banned, the authorities will have no way to monitor the process, and it will leave the legal realm, while the risks to women [seeking illegal abortions] are more likely to exacerbate the demographic situation.”

Russian Orthodox Church representatives such as Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov (who is reputed to be Putin’s personal confessor) have advocated for bans and restrictions on abortion in meetings with Russian officials. Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev’s wife, Svetlana Medvedeva, has provided political support for the clergy. Medvedeva is the president of the Foundation for Social and Cultural Initiatives, an organization that, among other things, organizes the annual anti-abortion campaign “Give Me Life.” According to a source, the group’s position is that abortion is a moral issue. “In a country that safeguards traditional values, we should be raising highly moral people, and infanticide is unacceptable. In other words, it’s an ideological approach,” he said. “This side has never used the argument about the demographic growth that an abortion ban would bring. They don’t make calculations like that. For them, this is a values issue and an ideological one. ‘It should be banned because it shouldn’t happen.’”

Until recently, the church and the Health Ministry took different views on the question of why abortion should be restricted, the source noted. After the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, however, the church’s views and those of the Health Ministry began to converge, according to a third source who’s familiar with the authorities’ discussions surrounding abortion. “[The initiative to restrict abortions] is being pushed through by the Russian Orthodox Church, of course,” he said. “The Health Ministry has hard numbers on the improvement of the situation [of birth rates in Russia in recent years]. But now that the spineless head of the Health Ministry got a negative reaction to his speech, he’ll be willing to go all the way.”

‘Nobody liked it’

The source was referring to a recent statement by Mikhail Murashko at a State Duma plenary session in which the minister spoke disapprovingly of women who pursue their education and careers before deciding whether to have children. “[Women delaying childbirth] causes a lot of problems: infertility, miscarriages, IVF. It also reduces the amount of time for women to have their third and fourth child,” said the minister.

According to Verstka’s source, Murashko’s statement provoked outrage “at the very highest level,” because women, including those in the government, saw it as an “attempt to return them to the kitchen” and to deprive them of their fundamental rights. “Murashko [tried to please] the boss [Putin], but his attempt failed — nobody liked it,” said a source from the Russian government. “So now he’s making a big fuss and showing his devotion.” The episode was reminiscent of the Defense Ministry’s recent statements in opposition to lawmakers’ initiative to ban gender changes, which ended with the ministry being “worn down,” according to Verstka’s source.

Two sources told Verstka that they believe the reproductive rights situation in Russia could get even worse in the future. The restrictions being discussed right now only involve abortion medications that contain Misoprostol and Mifepristone. However, these substances are also ingredients in emergency contraception productions, if in smaller doses. According to the medical information site Medvestnik, the Health Ministry’s order doesn’t mention dosage, which means the emergency pills could disappear from pharmacy shelves as well (or they could become considerably more difficult to find). Additionally, similar medications that don’t contain those products could be removed from circulation in the future as well, according to the sources. “If the fight moves to an ideological level, nobody will stop, and the restrictions will continue,” one source stressed. “Once the government starts invading women’s beds, it’s unlikely to stop voluntarily.”