Tag:

Soviet

How a German teenager landed a Cessna near the Kremlin and humiliated the Soviet air defense system

On May 28, 1987, one of the most extraordinary incidents of the late Soviet era unfolded in the heart of Moscow. On Soviet Border Guards Day, when the country’s security system was expected to be especially alert, a small single-engine Cessna aircraft landed near Red Square. At the controls was not a spy, a military pilot, or a participant in a secret operation, but an 18-year-old West German amateur pilot named Mathias Rust.

28 May 2026-00:15
Can tourism transform Central Asia into the world’s next travel hub?

Central Asia is increasingly emerging as one of the world’s most intriguing and fastest growing tourism frontiers as governments seek to transform the historic Silk Road region into a major international travel destination through infrastructure modernization, visa reforms, cultural promotion, and regional connectivity projects.

15 May 2026-13:25
How are Central Asian nations redefining their post Soviet Identity?

More than three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union, Central Asian countries are undergoing one of the most important identity transformations in modern Eurasia as governments and societies attempt to redefine national culture, language, history, religion, and geopolitical orientation beyond the Soviet legacy.

15 May 2026-13:22
Hamza Sadykhov: The name of an Azerbaijani hero deserves to be heard more widely

Editor’s note: Moses Becker is a special political commentator for News.Az. He holds a PhD in political science and specialises in inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of News.Az.

09 May 2026-11:15
Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov: wrestler who became a national symbol

Zhaksylyk Ushkempirov was a Kazakh Greco-Roman wrestler who became one of the country’s most important sports figures and is remembered as a national symbol. He rose through the Soviet sports system and achieved major international success, becoming the first ethnic Kazakh to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling at the 1980 Moscow Olympics.

06 May 2026-11:52
Russia summons Lithuanian diplomat over removal of Soviet soldiers' grave

Russia announced on Thursday that it had summoned the Lithuanian charge d'affaires over the removal of a Soviet soldiers' burial site in the city of Siauliai.

30 Apr 2026-19:58
Made in Japan? Deconstructing the cultural narratives of nuclear catastrophe

The last two months have seen the anniversaries of the two worst civilian nuclear catastrophes in history.

26 Apr 2026-16:21
“He should become a Righteous Among the Nations”: how Azerbaijani Hamza Sadykhov saved Jews

25 Apr 2026-11:55
Soviet-era watch brand revived for luxury buyers

In a restored factory outside St Petersburg, a Soviet-era watch brand is experiencing an unexpected revival—helped by sanctions, nostalgia, and even a public appearance by Vladimir Putin.

20 Apr 2026-15:33
Orthodox world celebrates Easter today

Today, Sunday, April 12, 2026, millions of Orthodox Christians around the globe gather to celebrate Pascha, the "Feast of Feasts" commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

12 Apr 2026-09:13