What is this unique “Russian culture”?
Without doubt a Russian culture exists that has given the world great musicians, poets and authors. But the problem is that they only became so great when Russia became part of Europe. Tchaikovsky’s music didn’t evolve from popular balalaikas. Pushkin grew up in the Imperial Lyceum, not with his grandmother’s fairy tales….
Russia’s culture only became great once its science, literature, music and art became part of Western culture. And what’s more, if Peter the Great hadn’t made Russia part of Europe we would never have had a Tolstoy or a Dostoyevsky….
And nor would the Russian Empire, which our patriots cherish so dearly, exist.
Source: Yulia Latynina in Novaya Gazeta, October 14
Eric Koch’s new book, New Beginnings, was launched on September 20. The book is available from 
Interesting insight.
“Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky”
http://hitchhikeamerica.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/tolstoy-and-dostoyevsky-philip-yancey/
Real Russian Riddle (R.R.R.)
‘on an open hill in a coniferous forest there stands an old man in red cap’
(na ború, na yurú stoít starichók — krásen kolpachók).