We have rebranded as 'Gateway to Russia' and now offer even more articles and resources about Russia. Valenki, worn for centuries in Russian villages, have come back into fashion thanks to an unlikely ...

Editor - Stakheev Vladimir, photos - Vadim Kantor, traditional Russian folk song - "Valenki" Valenki are traditional Russian winter footwear, essentially felt boots: the name valenok literally means ...

As Belarus and much of Russia and Eastern Europe endure a cold snap, it's safe to assume that many people, especially in more traditional rural areas, are turning to the classic footwear known as ...

A female worker uses pieces of wood to shape dozens of traditional Russian felt boots in a small workshop in the little town of Soligalich, Kostroma region, about 370miles northeast of Moscow. Russian ...

KALYAZIN, Russia — For generations, this Volga River town has been known for its valenki -- the felt boots that protect the feet of Russian children and adults from the harsh winter. The boots were ...

Ivan Plakhuta lives in the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk and makes traditional felt boots or valenki. He says many of the old makers, from whom he learned his craft, have died, but says demand for ...

MOSCOW — Russia launched the first man in space, achieved near universal literacy and built superpower weaponry, but the real benchmark of civilization for many here is the solution to the problem of ...