The graduation tradition
Russia is a nation that is as mysterious as it is beautiful. The traditions go way back, their military is one of the strongest in the world and the landscape is extremely diverse due to the sheer size of the country. Going to Russia these days isn’t a problem for the western world, but there was a time when the only insight into the country and its people was through photographs published to the public. These days, photos are still a good way to get a look into the real life of those living in Russia and the traditions and culture that they abide by.
In addition to the culture, it's well-known that Russian women are tall, blonde and beautiful. They are also known for loving wearing short skirts, tight dresses and high heels. This mostly applies to girls who live in Moscow and in several other big Russian cities.
In Russia and Ukraine, there's a famous graduation tradition to jump into a fountain during the last day of high school. It’s perfect because the graduation happens during the summer when it’s already very hot in Russia.
The hockey team
Jumping into the cold and hopefully clean water is a perfect solution.
Russian’s are very competitive when it comes to wars and sports.
Celebrating students
There is probably a good reason they are winning all that gold, just look at this hockey gate keeper lady (here name is Elizaveta Kondakova), who is not kidding around on that ice rink.
These college students in Moscow are celebrating the end of their exam period. And how does one celebrate anything in Russia? Drinks, of course!
Classic grocery store shot
The women all look great in their very best dresses and heels, while one of their male peers is pouring them drinks. They are clearly excited to be done with their exams.
It seems that this girl wanted a photograph with the selection of meats and cheeses at the local grocery story in Yekaterinburg.
The army ladies
The woman is of Russian roots and must have been excited to see her nations production of her favorite salami.
The Russian army is one of the strongest armies the world. Their male and female soldiers are known for their strength and stamina.
The pilot
They are also extremely patriotic, which makes this whole combination almost invincible.
It’s unclear whether this soldier is actually a pilot in the Russian military.
The glamorous marathon
We're going to guess that she isn't, but it’s definitely clear that she didn’t keep the Russian army’s strict secrecy policy when she posted this photo.
Russians are known for their love for high heels, maybe that’s the reason they have this interesting marathon when they run through Moscow in stilettos, or just regular heels.
Meanwhile in the metro
It's something that we wouldn't necessarily see in the U.S., but it's definitely something that would take place in a country like Russia.
Yes, it’s a common knowledge that New-York’s subway provides the best and sometimes weirdest collection of humans, but the Russians are not far away from that.
Russian police
Look at this beautiful example of a man, wearing a carpet-colored sweatsuit in the Russian metro, while the woman next to him looks like she just wants to jump off the train
The crime rate in the big (and also small) cities in Russia is very high. There is a big problem with pickpocketing, especially in Moscow, and other tourist friendly cities.
School uniform
That’s why you can see so many police men and women everywhere. Some of them wear skirts.
In Russia, there is a school uniform which all students have to wear. There are basically two kinds of dresses, long sleeves for the winter and short sleeves for the summer, and on top of them a very controversial “accessory”.
Tanning by the riverside
The accessory can be called in many names, but eventually it looks like an apron. Boys don’t have to wear something like that by the way.
There are many places in Russia that are not by the coast. As such, women who want to get a tan have to do so near other bodies of water, such as this man-made lake.
Breaking the ice
This photo was taken in Moscow at Patriarch’s Pond (also known as Patriarshiye Prudy in Russian).
This Russian beautiful tradition makes most people shiver literally and figuratively.
Strip for Putin
Yes, bathing in an ice-cold water is something only the bravest can handle.
This young lady is a “Putin’s army” member. This army is not the official military forces in Russia, in case you were wondering, but just women who support Vladimir Putin, Ex-Prime Minister and current President of Russia.
The perfectly timed Russian police
These girls’ weapon is their shirts, which they “tear up” to support their leader.
Nothing interesting here….Just some Russian police men and women in a perfectly time photo.
Fruit and vegetable vendors
We really want to know what they were talking about so passionately, with so many emotions and facials expressions.
It is very common for older women to sell fruits and vegetables throughout cities and towns in Russia.
The winter attire
Here we see a group of women with buckets of vegetables ready to be sold to anyone who needs ingredients for dinnertime!
These girls didn’t listen to the weatherman, or just didn’t care about the fact that it was winter outside. Just at look how they walk in these high heels and short-shorts while surrounded by snow and ice.
Strong AF
That’s commitment!
There is something magical about strong women, and in Russia there are plenty of them. Especially the ones that serve in the Russian army.
Police swing
They are really the badass as women can be.
Who said all police officers in Russia are tough and harsh?
Forever Adidas
Mostly they are, but not when it comes to taking a little break from all that crime-fighting and just chilling on a swing with the future generation.
Russians love their Adidas sweatsuits and their high heeled shoes.
The perfect umbrella
Not sure if a combo between these two would be approved by the fashion police, but it clearly doesn’t matter for this lovely red-hatted girl.
Next time it’s raining and you don’t have an umbrella, you can definitely use this Russian hack and wear a tub on your head.
The broom hack
Afterwards, you can do some old school laundry.
The famous Russian broom is used in many creative ways besides its original purpose. It is used to sweep the floor and any other surface available, it’s used to spank each other in the Russian Banya (sauna), and now we find out that it’s also a great windshield wiper.
The perfect smile
WIN!
There is a vicious rumor that Russians never smile.
A Siberian shaman
These two Russian police officers have the perfect smiles to prove everyone is wrong about that.
A rare photo indeed, a Siberian shaman is seen here in traditional garb. This photo was taken at the shaman’s place of work on Olkhon Island that is in Lake Baikal, located in eastern Siberia.
Parkour in the park
A shaman is a healer in the spiritual sense, an individual who has powers over good and evil spirits, or so it is said.
For those of you who don’t know, Parkour is an urban obstacle course that is made up of urban structures and jumped through by locals. The sport was founded in France back in the 1980s.
Soviet milkmaid from the 50s
Here we see a guy mid-jump through the course in the city of Perm.
Just because she is a milkmaid doesn’t mean she doesn’t need to look her best!
Furry weather
This young woman used a car’s side mirror to make sure her hair was in place and she looked as presentable as possible for delivering her daily milk.
Russia gets cold, that’s nothing new to us. However, since it is no longer very popular to wear fur in the US, we don’t see many women wear a fur hat and full coat like this woman.
Boat wedding
In Russia, fur is a closet staple and is used to keep warm through the cold winter months.
Weddings are serious business in Russia. In this photo we see a couple getting married on a boat directly in front of the fountains that are on the River Neva in St.
Karaoke at a wedding
Petersburg, Russia. It really is a sight to behold as the fountain makes the view an interchanging wall of water.
It is faily common that karaoke be part of a wedding party. It is very important for Russian nationals that weddings be an interesting and fun party, that goes on for hours and has guests entertained the entire time.
Soviet memorabilia collector
Weddings are loud and large and last for a long time.
A man named James Rowlins took this photo of his uncle in his Russian summer house. He stated, “Uncle Andrei has a treasure trove of Soviet memorabilia!
Siberian summer
Here he is sporting a Soviet pilot’s headgear. The t-shirt is more modern.” Many men and women like to collect historic items, especially ones that are within their family.
When we think of Siberia we think of endless winters and snowfall. In fact, during the summer months, Siberia is a warm place with a bustling farming community.
Table tennis in the park
Here we see a young man collecting hay for the animals with his family members beside him.
In the States, you will see people playing chess or skateboarding in the park, but you probably won’t see too many people playing a game of table tennis. In Moscow, however, it is a huge thing!
Cozy beach setting
As you can see in this photo where there is table after table of table tennis and each of them is being played on.
This photo was taken in Sochi-Adler. The beach is seen packed with people, barely a couple of feet between each party.
Russian BBQ
There is also no sand but small rocks, that can not be comfortable for the people sitting on it!
A BBQ is usually done in the spring or summer time, but in Russia, they don’t let the cold stop them from grilling up their favorite kebab, a shashlik! This man and woman are waiting for their BBQ coals to die down before placing the meat on the grill.
Ride to school
They look like they’re freezing.
This kid looks like he’s going to school on a horse! However, the horse is actually on it’s way to the city center of Nizhnevartovk, right by the Ob River, for the annual Christmas celebration of Maslenitsa.
Moscow winter
The women are in furs and the kids are bundled up, it gets well below freezing in those parts.
Moscow gets very cold in the winter, with snow piled up everywhere and a white coating to the entire city. As we can see in this photo, the Red Square in Moscow is entirely covered in snow around Christmastime.
Th Red Square is the open area between the Kremlin and the Kitai-gorod.