What do foreigners know about Russia? Vodka, matryoshka, bears? In fact, this list can be continued indefinitely, since our land is famous for ordinary talents and great achievements that have had a huge impact on the development of civilization.
And as the famous advertising slogan says: “We have someone to be proud of!”
Introducing 10 the most famous people in Russia.
10. Nikita Mikhalkov
Oscar-winning director, screenwriter and actor was born on October 21, 1945 in the family of the famous Soviet poet, author of the anthem Sergei Mikhalkov and poetess Natalia Konchalovskaya.
Nikita Mikhalkov's contribution to Russian and world cinema is enormous: His acting and directorial work has always been highly praised by both viewers and critics.
On the screen, he embodied diverse images, including Kolya from “I Walk in Moscow”, Paratov from “The Cruel Romance”, Alexey Ustyuzhanin from “Sibiriada”, the commander of Kotov from “Burnt by the Sun”, etc.
As a director, he shot many films that were forever included in the “Golden Cinema Fund”. The most famous directorial works of Nikita Sergeevich are considered to be paintings: “One among strangers, a stranger among friends”, “Relatives”, “Burnt by the Sun”, “Siberian Barber”, “12” and others.
9. Mikhail Kalashnikov
The world-famous military engineer was born on November 10, 1919 in the village of Kurya, Altai Territory.
His main invention - Kalashnikov assault rifle - known all over the world. For his unique development, which saved the lives of many Soviet soldiers, Mikhail Kalashnikov was awarded the Stalin Prize.
Kalashnikov assault rifle to this day remains one of the most popular and reliable in the world.
8. Mikhail Baryshnikov
The future world ballet star was born on January 27, 1948 in Riga.
At the very beginning of his ballet career, Baryshnikov instantly became widely known. His unique dance talent was celebrated by eminent choreographers and artists.
In 1974, during a tour in Canada, Baryshnikov decided to ask the authorities of this country for political asylum.
Living in the West dancer managed to achieve fame and recognition of talent. In addition, he managed to successfully star in Hollywood and even be nominated for an Oscar for a supporting role.
7. Maria Sharapova
A world-famous tennis player was born on February 19, 1987 in the city of Nyagan.
She did it enter the top ten women in history who have won the career helmet (she won all the Grand Slam tournaments in different years).
In addition, she is a leader in advertising earnings among all athletes in the world.
6. George Zhukov
Soviet military leader, four times Hero of the Soviet Union was born on November 19, 1896 in the village of Strelkovka, Kaluga province.
He remained in history as one of the main creators of the Victory of the Soviet Union in the Great Patriotic War.
During the war, Zhukov became second person in the country after Stalin in the military hierarchy. He repeatedly went to the front line, took command in the most difficult situations, and stood at the origins of most major strategic operations. For this, the people began to call him “Marshal of Victory”.
The legendary commander died on June 18, 1974 in Moscow. The urn with its ashes was mounted in the Kremlin wall.
5. Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Lenin (Ulyanov) was born in 1870 in Simbirsk.
The role of this person, not only in Russian, but also in world history is difficult to overestimate. Of course, a genius, for someone a villain, for someone a virtue.
He radically changed the fate of the country - showing by example how the idea of a socialist state can be embodied in practice.
Having seized power in 1917, the Bolshevik party led by Lenin created a new type of government, the main task of which was to stimulate the completion of the world revolution as soon as possible.
In 1922, after an unsuccessful attempt, Lenin was seriously ill, so he had to move away from active political activity.
The next two years he was virtually removed from power. Lenin died in 1924 at his country house in Gorki, near Moscow.
His body was not interred - to this day it is on public display in the Mausoleum on Red Square in Moscow.
4. Alla Pugacheva
The future prima donna of the Soviet and Russian pop music was born on April 15, 1949 in Moscow.
Pugacheva’s career was marked by both incredible all-Union and international success on the pop stage. Her songs are known all over Russia, and the singer’s unique timbre cannot be confused with any other.
Among her most famous compositions: “Harlequin”, “Iceberg”, “The Woman Who Sings”, “Antique Clock”, “Million Scarlet Roses”, etc.
3. Vladimir Vysotsky
Vladimir Semenovich Vysotsky was born on January 25, 1938 in Moscow.
This versatile person became famous as a poet, theater and film actor, as well as songwriter. In addition, he wrote scripts and prose.
7 years after his death, Vysotsky was awarded the USSR State Prize “for creating the image of Zheglov in the television film“ The meeting place cannot be changed ”, posthumously.
In addition to this cult role in the film by Stanislav Govorukhin, Vysotsky was remembered by the audience for his role in the film “Height”, “How Tsar Peter Arapa married ...”, “Bad Good Man”, etc.
The first poems he wrote date back to the early 1960s. At first, Vladimir Semenovich performed them in a circle of friends and acquaintances, and after a few years his works gained wide popularity thanks to tape recordings spreading throughout the whole country.
Vysotsky's poetry was distinguished by its originality and diversity - he wrote humorous, satirical, lyrical, street, camp, military, everyday, fairy-tale texts.
The death of the poet and artist coincided with the Olympics in Moscow in 1980. Despite the absence of an official obituary, a lot of people came to his funeral, wishing to lead on their last journey a man whom many called the “soul of Russia”.
2. Yuri Gagarin
The name of Yuri Gagarin is known throughout the world, and every Soviet schoolboy once knew his biography. It was he who was destined to become the first person to be in space.
Cosmonaut during his lifetime became a legend. Gagarin opened a completely new page in the conquest of space by people and became a symbol of the development of domestic astronautics.
On April 12, 1961, at 9 hours 7 minutes Moscow time, the Vostok spacecraft with Yuri Gagarin on board launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome. 108 minutes passed and the astronaut made a safe landing near the village of Smelovka in the Saratov region. Two days later, all of Moscow greeted the hero of the Soviet Union.
During his short life, Gagarin did a lot to popularize space exploration, and even dreamed of becoming a member of the lunar space crew. However, his grandiose plans were not given to be realized.
On March 27, 1968, an aircraft operated by Yuri Alekseevich crashed near the village of Novoselovo, Kirzhach district, Vladimir region. The circumstances of that accident have not yet been fully clarified. On this occasion, nationwide mourning was declared throughout the Soviet Union.
1. Alexander Pushkin
Pushkin is our everything! And it's hard to argue with that. For Russian-speaking people, Alexander Sergeyevich is not just the first poet of our country, he is also a playwright and prose writer who laid the foundations of the Russian realistic trend, and he can rightly be called the greatest literary theorist, historian, and publicist.
This man, whose fate was only 37 years old, considered one of the most famous Russian literary figures in the first third of the XIX century.
The future poet was born on June 6, 1799 in Moscow. Pushkin began to create his first poetic and dramatic masterpieces at the age of seven.
During his studies at the Lyceum, he became famous after reading his poem to Gabriel Derzhavin.
He is one of the first Russian writers started making money with his poetry and literature.
He became famous not only for his unique lyrics, but also for prose (“The Captain's Daughter”, “The Queen of Spades”, “Blizzard”, etc.).
He also composed dramatic works (“Boris Godunov”, “The Bronze Horseman”, etc.), fairy tales (“The Tale of the Golden Cockerel”, “The Tale of the Priest and His Worker Balda”, etc.), as well as works in a revolutionary orientation ( “In the depths of the Siberian ores ...”) - the poet was sent into exile several times for freethinking.
On February 8, 1837, that same unfortunate duel of Pushkin happened with Georges Dantes, an intriguer who defamed the name of the poet’s wife - Natalia Goncharova. As a result, during the fight, Alexander Sergeyevich was mortally wounded and died in heavy pain two days later.