Midnight in Siberia: A Train Journey into the Heart of Russia (39 page)

nuclear weapons, 45, 190

obesity, 144

oil, 8

Oka River, 102

Oksana, 217

Oleg (taxicab driver), 192–96, 207

Oleg (train companion), 214

Olga, 43

oligarchy, 48–49

omul
(fish), 256–57

“one for the road,” 39, 42

onion domes, 220

opinion polls, 161–62, 264–65

optimism, 182–83, 287

Orange Revolution, 40, 41–42, 288

Orient Express, 50

Orlov, Dima, 78–83, 270

orphanages, 167–68

Ozernoy, Maryanne, 51

pagan customs, 38

Palin, Sarah, 173

paper mills, 258, 262

paranoia, 124–27, 128, 151–52, 158, 163, 165, 168, 172

passenger lists, 53

passports, 44, 59, 76–77, 124, 217–18

Paulina, 290

Pavel (Sergei’s cousin), 104, 110–11, 121–22

Pavel (veterinarian), 199–200

peasantry, 15–16

pedestrian malls, 207, 209

pelmeni
(dumplings), 37

penal colonies, 49, 119

pensions, 42, 117, 268

perestroika, 188, 249

Perm, 127, 163, 164–72, 242

pervy droog
(first friend), 60, 61

Peter I “the Great,” Czar of Russia, 13–14, 103, 106, 107

Pew Research Center, 161–62

Pichonkin, Sergei, 203

pillows, 252–53

Pinsker, Sofia, 203

Pintayev, Valery, 258

pirozhki
(stuffed pies), 163–64, 172–73

Pittsburgh, Pa., 8, 79, 80, 102, 121, 190

Pittsburgh Penguins, 79, 80

“Poets and Czars: From Pushkin to Putin, the Sad Tale of Democracy in Russia” (Shishkin), 13–16

pokhmelye
(hangover), 112

Poland, 8, 33, 108

police, 109–20, 122, 124–25, 159–62, 176–84, 187, 192, 205, 247

political change, 13–17, 35–36, 51, 182–83, 204, 208, 212–13, 227, 228–30, 238–44, 249–50, 265, 267–72, 282–89

political crimes, 48, 106–7, 167–68

“Political History of Russian Bureaucracy and Roots of Its Power “ (Ozernoy and Samsonova), 51

political opposition, xvi, 8–9, 14–15, 49, 69, 87, 89, 95–97, 105, 165–72, 183, 199–200, 204, 208, 228–30, 234–37, 238, 239–44, 256–64, 268–69, 279, 288–89

political philosophy, 282–83

political repression, 11–15, 32, 47–48, 49, 109–20, 165–72, 199, 234–37, 263–65

Politkovskaya, Anna, 89

pollution, 190, 255–58

population, 210, 220, 282–83

poverty, 195, 203, 262

Prague, 250

prayers, 38

Previte, Rose, 7–8, 19–24, 26, 31, 32–33, 55, 57, 74, 84, 86, 92, 93–94, 99, 102, 122, 125, 127, 140–42, 159–61, 174, 175, 189, 193, 205, 207–8, 219, 225–26, 227, 231, 233–59, 275, 279, 285, 292

prison camps, 46, 47, 49, 67–69, 89–91, 106–7, 109, 166–69, 222, 272

prisons, 118–19, 169

privatization, 49, 239–40

produktys
(minimarts), 64

professors, 282–83

prosecutors, 170

provodnik
(conductors), 52, 72–73, 164, 213, 252–53, 274

Prussia, 108

public assembly, 170

public opinion, xv–xvi, 8–9, 66–67, 81, 87, 89, 161–62, 199–200, 208, 228–30, 239–44, 264–65

public transportation, 26, 122–23, 185, 187–92

Pugachyoya, Natalia, 147

Pushkin, Alexander, 14, 15

Putin, Vladimir:

authoritarian rule of, xiii–xiv, 10, 40, 42, 69, 165–72, 180–81, 208, 235, 264–65

Bush’s summit with, 20

Crimean crisis and, xiii–xvi

democracy as viewed by, 180–81

economic policies of, 44, 69, 96–97, 190–91, 238, 239–44, 249–50, 268–69

human rights record of, 165–72

leadership of, xiii–xiv, 8–9, 180–81, 238, 249–50, 264–65, 268–69

minisubmarine ride of, 258, 261–62

opposition to, xvi, 8–9, 14–15, 49, 69, 87, 89, 95–97, 105, 165–72, 183, 199–200, 228–30, 234–37, 238, 239–44, 256–64, 268–69

physical appearance of, 34

popular support for, xv–xvi, 8–9, 66–67, 81, 87, 89, 199–200, 208, 228–30, 239–44, 264–65

public image of, xiii–xvi, 8–9, 165–72, 228–29, 258, 261–62

reelection of, 8–9, 181, 199, 241

Stalin compared with, 69, 169, 208, 235, 264–65

terrorism policies of, 66–67, 81, 87, 89

Pyatchenko, Valentina, 140, 145, 149

Pyongyang Café, 276–78

Queen Elizabeth II
, 50

queuing (lining up), 21–22

racial discrimination, 44, 176

racial profiling, 44

Radisson hotels, 76

“railway to nowhere,” 47–48

Rancour-Laferriere, Daniel, 130

rape, 114–15

reading, 55

Reagan, Ronald, 20

real estate, 263, 280

Red Army, 104, 255, 289

Red Arrow train, 45

refugees, 266–67

regional governments, xv, 127–28, 266–67

rehab programs, 290–92

religion, xiv, 38–39, 63, 68, 90, 143, 220–22

repression, 11–15, 32, 47–48, 49, 109–20, 165–72, 199, 234–37, 263–65

reservoirs, 68–69

restaurants, 55–57, 73–76, 99–100, 207–8, 233

Reuters, 265

revolution, 14, 15, 16, 97, 171–72, 180, 222–23, 250, 256, 260, 263, 287–89

Richardson, Paul E., 46

Riss, Eli, 273

Robert, 169–72

roll-aboard suitcases, 25, 35, 52, 121, 187–88, 189, 252, 276

Roman, 261–62

roses, 83–84, 91

Rossiiskie Zheleznye Dorogi (Russian Railways), 29–31, 52–53, 65, 80

rubles, 29, 122, 216, 283

rules and regulations, 225–28

rural areas, 11, 97, 195, 200–201, 210, 228–29, 237–38

Russia:

apartments in, 5, 27, 84–85, 102–3, 200, 280

apathy in, 15–17, 108–10, 117–20, 260–64

armed forces of, 98, 120, 201–2, 204, 207, 255, 276, 280

arrests and imprisonments in, 94, 109–20, 159–62, 177–78, 210

Asian region of, 46, 127–28, 162, 173, 220, 240, 243, 245

authoritarianism in, xiii–xiv, xv, 9, 10, 14, 35, 40, 42, 69, 165–72, 180–81, 208, 212–13, 235, 264–65

author’s residence in, xvii, 8, 19–24, 32–33, 57, 76–77, 278–79

bars in, 207–8

borders of, 48, 266–67

building construction in, 84–85, 102–3

bureaucracy of, 15–16, 29–30, 51, 65, 86, 89, 271, 283

bus transportation in, 122–23, 185, 187–92

chaos vs. order in, 14, 27, 29, 67, 96, 189, 226, 246–47, 265, 267–69, 278–79, 283–84, 287

civil liberties in, 13–14, 96, 165–72, 180–81, 186, 269–70, 287

clothing in, 5, 102, 142, 233–34

constitution of, 170

corruption in, 11, 35, 40, 49, 169, 178, 183, 192, 225–27, 230, 240, 249–50, 252, 264, 265, 269

court system of, 118

Crimea crisis and, xiii–xvi, 33–34

crime in, 159–62, 176–84, 226

cuisine of, 4, 100, 104, 163–64, 178–79, 198, 256–57;
see also specific dishes

cultural traditions of, xvi, xvii, 9, 11, 12, 21, 32, 35, 38–39, 49, 51, 69–70, 74–75, 83–84, 90, 91, 121, 200–203, 207–8, 240–41, 273, 275–76, 284–89

czarist, 11, 13–16, 221, 222–23, 256, 260, 263, 287–88

dangerous situations in, 87, 92, 140–41, 172

democracy in, xiii, xvi, 8, 9, 11, 13–15, 20, 33, 40, 41–42, 69, 159–89, 205, 225–26, 229–30, 239, 240–42, 249–50, 265, 268–70, 282–85, 288–89

documentation in, 44, 51–52, 76–77, 124–25, 151–52, 175, 189–90, 209, 210, 217–18, 227

drug problem in, 176–77, 290–92

economy of, xiii, xv, 11, 44, 49, 51, 69, 96–97, 161, 175, 177–78, 186–87, 190–91, 195, 200, 203, 205, 207, 212, 238, 239–44, 245, 249–50, 254, 256–58, 262, 268–69, 271, 276, 283–85

education in, 55, 240, 282–83

elections in, 8–9, 171, 181, 199, 229–30, 241

emigration from, 281–82

employment in, 51, 245, 254, 258, 262

endurance and survival in, 67–70, 82, 86–87, 93–95, 123, 130, 142–43, 157, 182–83, 187–88, 201–3, 207, 222–23, 233–34

energy resources of, xv, 8, 49, 178, 211

environmental issues in, 255–64

espionage activities in, 23–24, 56, 124–27, 129, 152, 163, 285

ethnic minorities in, 33, 34–42, 127–28, 143, 174, 266–67

European influence in, 33–34, 220

European region of, 46, 127–28, 162, 173, 220, 243, 245

expatriates in, 57

factories in, 90, 200, 276

family life in, 34–44, 58–60, 74, 97–98 102–113, 135–36, 204, 231, 255–56, 279

fear and intimidation in, 124–27, 128, 151–52, 158, 163, 165, 168, 172, 234–37, 249–50, 251, 265, 285

flag of, 274

folklore of, 11, 38–39, 83–84, 90, 91

“foreign agents” in, 117, 170, 265

foreign relations of, xv–xvi, 13, 165, 170

foreign travel and, 70, 240, 281–82

freedom in, xv, 212–13, 222–23, 263–65

free speech in, xv, 212–13

friendship in, 39, 58–61, 115, 119–20, 204, 205, 239, 274–76, 280, 283–84

future trends in, 271–72, 273, 286–89

gangs in, 159–62, 176–84, 226

gay and lesbian rights in, xv, 182

generations in, 17, 32, 82, 103, 105, 109, 188, 196–207, 240–44, 270, 271–72, 273, 284–85, 287, 288

geography of, 47, 64–65, 210

government of, xv, 117, 119, 127–28, 144, 165–72, 178, 183, 199–200, 203–4, 208, 229–30, 236, 240–42, 249–50, 259–68, 271, 279, 280, 283, 284, 289, 290

health care in, 32, 97–98, 116, 128–33, 144, 182, 282

history of, xiii–xiv, xvi, xvii, 10, 11–16, 32, 89–91, 106–9, 135, 179–83, 212, 220–24, 270, 273, 284–89

hospitality in, 3–6, 17, 20, 27, 36–37, 84–85, 100, 102–3, 122–23, 128–33, 237–38

human rights record of, 156, 165–72, 186, 269

immigration to, 77, 189–90, 209, 245, 254

industrialization of, 80, 83, 90, 190, 200, 219, 276

internal security of, 23–24, 56, 73, 92–94, 97, 124–27, 128, 129, 151–52, 163, 165, 168, 172, 230, 234–37, 248, 250, 285

international reputation of, 165–72, 186, 269

interrogations in, 113–20

Jewish community in, 33, 272–73, 274, 281

justice system of, 109–20, 122, 153, 165–72, 176–84, 187, 225–27, 265

laws of, 153, 225–27, 265

leadership of, xiii–xiv, 8–9, 15–17, 32, 119, 161–62, 180–81, 199–200, 203–4, 208, 238, 249–50, 264–65, 268–69

life expectancy in, 144

maps of, x–xi, 65

media coverage in, xv, 23–24, 159, 160, 161, 179, 182, 187, 191, 228, 261, 269

men in, 199, 206–7

middle class in, 96–97, 105, 242

migrant workers in, 46, 245, 254

military service in, 98, 120, 201–2, 204, 207, 255, 276, 280

national identity of, 33, 49, 127–28, 143, 202, 266–67

navy of, xiv

nightlife in, 55–57

official vs. popular, 15–16, 96–97, 202–3

oligarchy in, 48–49

opinion polls in, 161–62, 264–65

parliament of, 171, 289

peasantry of, 15–16

penal colonies in, 49, 119

police in, 109–20, 122, 124–25, 159–62, 176–84, 187, 192, 205, 247

political change in, 13–17, 35–36, 51, 182–83, 204, 208, 212–13, 227, 228–30, 238–44, 249–50, 265, 267–72, 282–89

political opposition in, xvi, 8–9, 14–15, 49, 69, 87, 89, 95–97, 105, 165–72, 183, 199–200, 204, 208, 228–30, 234–37, 238, 239–44, 256–64, 268–69, 279, 288–89

pollution in, 190, 255–58

population of, 210, 220, 282–83

poverty in, 195, 203, 262

prison camps in, 46, 49, 222

prisons in, 118–19, 169

protests in, 95–97, 105, 170–72, 204, 208, 242, 279, 288–89

public attitude in, 6–7, 20, 25–26, 98, 122–23

public opinion in, xv–xvi, 8–9, 66–67, 81, 87, 89, 161–62, 199–200, 208, 228–30, 239–44, 264–65

racial discrimination in, 44, 176

railroads of,
see
Trans-Siberian Railway

real estate development in, 263, 280

regional governments of, xv, 127–28, 266–67

religion in, xiv, 38–39, 63, 68, 90, 143, 220–22

repression in, 11–15, 49, 109–20, 165–72, 199, 234–37

restaurants in, 55–57, 73–76, 99–100, 207–8, 233

revolution in, 14, 15, 16, 97, 171–72, 180, 222–23, 250, 256, 260, 263, 287–89

rules and regulations in, 225–28

rural areas of, 11, 97, 195, 200–201, 210, 228–29, 237–38

Slavic majority of, 128, 202

small businesses in, 225–27, 249–50, 269, 271

social conditions of, 15–16, 97, 202–3, 238–39, 249–50, 279

Soviet Union compared with, 11–15, 49, 51, 56, 95–97, 117–18, 165, 171, 181, 200, 235–37, 262–68, 282, 284

stability of, 14, 27, 29, 35–36, 51, 67, 96, 182–83, 189, 226, 246, 265, 267–69, 278–79, 283–84, 287

status in, 30–31

stereotypes of, 51, 68, 109–10, 190

Supreme Court of, 118

terrorism in, 44, 66–67, 81, 87, 89, 94

time zones in, 28

torture in, 115–20, 122

tourism in, 246–47, 255–56

transit visas in, 189–90, 209, 210, 217–18, 227

“two Russias” concept of, 15–16, 96–97, 202–3

Ukraine’s relations with, xiii–xvi, 40–42, 69

urban areas of, 11, 97, 200–201, 234, 239–40

U.S. compared with, 94, 205, 269, 286, 289

U.S. relations with, xiii–xiv, 8, 9, 14–15, 20, 82, 170, 267, 281, 286, 290

villages in, 195, 210, 228–29, 238

wealth in, 11, 12, 32, 48–49, 56–57, 96–97, 200, 203, 238–44, 269, 270

weather in, 19, 35, 173, 211, 217, 233–34

Western culture in, xiii–xv, xvi, 13–15, 33, 75, 105, 185, 270, 282–85, 286

women in, 102, 104, 143–50, 178, 225–26, 245, 256

see also
Soviet Union

Russia Beyond the Headlines, 288

“Russian ark,” 14

Russian language, 23, 24, 27, 33, 40, 42, 52–53, 55–56, 93, 123, 124, 125, 163

Russian Myths
(Warner), 38

Russian Orthodox Church, xiv, 38–39, 63, 68, 90, 143, 220–22

Russian Railways (
Rossiiskie Zheleznye Dorogi
), 29–31, 52–53, 65, 80

Russians, The
(Smith), xvi–xvii

“Russian soul,” 69–70

Rutskaya, Zhanna, 100

Ruvinskaya, Anna, 226

Rybinsk, 68–69, 73, 76, 77–78, 83–91, 92

Ryzhak, Boris, 22–24

Sagra, 159–62, 172, 174–84, 185, 186, 187, 195, 199, 237–38, 268, 270, 279