Yuri Chekalin

Yuri Chekalin01.07.2026

”…Death will bestow on us the bells of glory. Yet we pass through this world as envoys Of a country that has no name.” — Alexander Galich We were leaving Russia. Three years had passed since we had made the decision to emigrate to the United States—three years and an endless number of certificates, documents, […]

Yuri Chekalin27.06.2026

In the city of Uchtensk, Bureaucracy lived. It never walked—it went through the proper approval process. It never spoke—it issued directives. Even its mirror reflected a person only after they presented valid identification. One day, a citizen attempted the impossible: to obtain a certificate stating that he existed. “Please fill out an application to receive […]

Yuri Chekalin21.06.2026

Today, we remember Viktor Alksnis on what would have been his 76th birthday. Although he passed away in 2025, his memory endures through a lifetime of public service, principled advocacy, and unwavering commitment to the causes he believed in. Born on June 21, 1950, Alksnis belonged to a generation that witnessed profound historical transformations. As […]

Yuri Chekalin21.06.2026

The mass disturbances in the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait occurred on November 7, 1963, the 46th anniversary of the October Revolution. At 10:00 a.m., as usual, an official workers’ parade was proceeding through the city’s central square, just as it was throughout the Soviet Union. From the reviewing stand, slogans and praises honoring the Communist […]

Yuri Chekalin20.06.2026

Yesterday, the world once again found itself on the brink of a historic event. No, not the discovery of a cure for all diseases, nor the establishment of world peace. Something far more important. Trump admitted that he wanted to award himself the nation’s highest military decoration. “There have been many of the greatest people […]

Yuri Chekalin19.06.2026

Today we’re heading to the very heart of Tokyo — Shibuya. As you’ll see, it’s like Times Square multiplied by a hundred. There are endless crowds, entertainment venues, restaurants, izakayas, and countless little eateries. Tokyo truly never sleeps. You can pass the time until dawn by drinking, playing billiards, reading manga in cafés, or even […]

Yuri Chekalin18.06.2026

A.R. Dyukov, known on Telegram under the modest nickname “Historian Dyukov,” decided to continue his denunciations of Vladimir Lenin and came up with the following: “I can’t help once again admiring Lenin’s genius. On February 26, 1921, when the country was already in a deep economic disaster and people were supposedly dying of hunger: ‘The […]

Yuri Chekalin15.06.2026

Trade unions and strikes have played a significant role in improving the lives and working conditions of employees throughout history. They serve as important tools that help workers protect their rights, negotiate fair treatment, and influence workplace policies. In many countries, trade unions have contributed to social and economic progress by ensuring that workers have […]

Yuri Chekalin14.06.2026

Japan has long maintained a cautious immigration policy, emphasizing social stability and controlled migration. Introduction However, demographic challenges such as a declining birth rate, an aging population, and persistent labor shortages have compelled the Japanese government to reconsider its approach to immigration and visa policies. In recent years, Japan has introduced a series of visa […]

Yuri Chekalin12.06.2026

Oda Nobunaga is one of the most influential figures in Japanese history. Living during the turbulent Sengoku, or “Warring States,” period, he began the process of unifying Japan after more than a century of civil conflict. Through military innovation, political vision, and bold leadership, Nobunaga transformed the balance of power in Japan and laid the […]

A Life: For My Grandfather, Iosif Lvovich Mirkin

The Great Bureaucratic Seal

A Tribute to Viktor Imantovich Alksnis

Code 10-44 for Azerbaijani City of Sumgait on November 6, 1963

A Gold Medal for the Most Deserving

Notes from Japan: Hachikō

Dyukov on Lenin

The Importance of Trade Unions and Strikes

Visa Reform in Japan

Oda Nobunaga: The Unifier Who Changed Japan

The Michael Jackson Biopic is Missing its Most Controversial Story

Madama Butterfly and the Japan of the Western Imagination

The Spanish Civil War at 90: the Republic’s Response

Terminator Is about 80 Years Old