How historians and bloggers began to justify Stalin’s repressions In lectures by popular historical bloggers, Stalinist repressions are increasingly presented as a necessity or even an integral mechanism for governing the country. Against the backdrop of the closure of the Gulag History Museum and the persecution of people who preserve the memory of repressions, the question arises: is this not preparation for a new round of terror against citizens?

How and why do people learn fictitious languages ​​and create their own? You've definitely encountered conlangs - artificially created languages, for example, Tolkien's Sindarin, Elder Speech from The Witcher, Parseltongue from Harry Potter. “The Trait” has found those who learn even more “niche” languages, like Toki Pona, Volapuk, and even create their own, like Snake. How conlangs develop, who does it and why it is extremely exciting, read in our material.

How Russians escape reality with vocals During times of war, people seek different ways to cope with anxiety, stress and difficult emotions. One of these practices was singing. In 2024, according to Muztorg, the demand for online music education increased by almost a third compared to the previous year, and in 2025, according to MTS analysts, by another 47% . “Terta” asked a human rights lawyer, journalists and an IT specialist why they started doing vocals.

How not to lose access to money and data during failures The data processing centers of Sberbank and Yandex were attacked by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Some of their services began to work intermittently. How not to lose money, access to important accounts, not to be left without documents, and prepare for possible new failures? And how to get compensation for losses due to attacks? These questions were answered by a lawyer and an information security expert.

How ornithologist Sofya Rosenfeld was sent to a colony for three and a half years for two donations Sofia Rosenfeld spent her entire life studying Arctic birds: she went on expeditions to the Far North, followed flocks of geese on a seaplane, and fought for the conservation of rare species. Now one of the leading Russian ornithologists, Doctor of Biological Sciences, has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for two donations to FBK of a thousand rubles each.

How do those who recently fought with each other get along in Donbass? The Donetsk region from 2014 to 2022 was divided in half by a front line that ran between the cities of Avdiivka and Yasinovataya. Today, residents of these cities are forced to live together under Russian rule. However, years of shootings and bombings have left their mark on the psyche and soul of everyone who lives here.

How the USSR and the GDR made peace without remembering the war Just a few years after the end of World War II, the Soviet Union and East Germany were already building cultural diplomacy in full swing. The cities became sister cities, schoolchildren corresponded, students went to visit each other. How did this become possible after a war that claimed tens of millions of lives? And what does this experience tell us about the possibility of restoring relations between Russia and Ukraine?

html This material (information) was produced and distributed by a foreign agent, Project Trait, or relates to the activities of a foreign agent, Project Trait. 18+ How politics is changing regional museums and exhibitions How does the Russian state use monuments and museums to promote militarism and explain to citizens that the West is bad? Can regional cultural institutions defend the right to selfhood?

How Russian women decide to freeze their eggs because of the war Russians inside and outside the country are increasingly postponing having children - due to war, prices, drone attacks, emigration and the feeling that planning for the future is now impossible. Reproduction specialists say patients are increasingly discussing concerns about the war at appointments. Many are simply trying to preserve the possibility of becoming parents later.

Solo travelers share what gives them an experience that scares many “You’re no longer young, think about your family,” they tell Anna in every car that picks her up. Anna is 32 years old, she hitchhikes or rides a bicycle with a backpack weighing 20–30 kg, always carries a knife in her pocket and plans routes across three continents. Angelina usually books hostels while already sitting on the bus to the desired city, and says that solo travel is life at double speed.

The story of a Muscovite who integrated helping dogs into her daily routine 34-year-old Muscovite Marina works in a responsible position, regularly goes on vacation to the sea, tries to look good, and often sees her family and loved ones. She has also been helping homeless dogs for ten years: treating them, giving them homes, collecting money, helping with their removal from dangerous border regions.

How teachers and agitators for “United Russia” record residents on a dictaphone and work on “days of silence” Door-to-door visits with a working voice recorder and geolocation, “tapping and chasing ” residents potentially loyal to “United Russia”, tearing down leaflets of other parties, pressure on local stars and opinion leaders, the “norm” for parents who agree to electronic voting, and hidden campaigning on election days - teacher from Cheboksary Anastasia told Cherta and the telegram channel

Why do anti-war youth run for office? In the upcoming parliamentary elections, there is almost no room left for political competition: the federal list of Yabloko, the only party with an anti-war program, was removed from the vote. Repressions against party activists continue. But in the regions there are many young anti-war politicians who are running in single-mandate constituencies.

Why do Russians kiss mushrooms and cry over boletus mushrooms? September is one of the most awaited months for mushroom pickers. People, often entire families, rush into the forests to collect boletus, boletus, saffron milk caps, milk mushrooms, and honey mushrooms. Mushroom picking is jokingly called the national sport of Russians: 48% of the country's population goes mushroom picking - that's about 70 million people. For some, mushrooms are an opportunity to prepare for the winter.

Is it legal to attack warehouses and refineries? Who is responsible for this? After Russian attacks on Ukrainian warehouses of Nova Poshta and Ukrainian attacks on Wildberries warehouses, both sides explain their actions by military necessity. But the mere fact that a civilian facility may contain goods for the army does not make it a legitimate military target, explains Natalia Sekretareva, head of the legal department of the Memorial Center for the Protection of Human Rights.