Russia
The story of the Russian activist who nailed his scrotum to Red Square
Flames of resistance — Pussy Riot’s Nadya Tolokonnikova threw down a gauntlet in 2012, but it’s been picked up by flame-throwing performance artist Pyotr Pavlensky. The Moscow City Court will this week consider an appeal against his sentence, after he was found guilty of setting fire to the Moscow headquarters of the Federal Security Service (FSB). Huck headed to Moscow to hear Pyotr’s story in person, while he sat in prison, from the two people who best understand his elaborately defiant acts.
Written by: Natalia Antonova
Surfin’ USSR: The troublesome evolution of skateboarding in Russia
This is our revolution — The Cold War may have initially stagnated skateboarding in Russia but, over time, it encouraged Russian skaters to develop a style and aesthetic that is totally unique from its American roots. This is a first-person account of how the contemporary generation is beginning to capture the world’s imagination.
Written by: Kirill Korobkov
The wild lives of teenagers in Northern Russia
Igor Samolet: Be Happy — A chance encounter with a group of reckless kids helped Russian photographer Igor Samolet rekindle his wild youth.
Written by: Interview: Gemma Padley
The photographer who captured life in a country that doesn’t exist
Discovering Transnistria — What do you do for fun when you live in a country shunned by the rest of the world? Armed with a camera and a whole load of questions, Julia Autz immersed herself in Transnistrian life to find out.
Written by: Ella Guthrie
Ukraine in flux: A photographer digs beneath the surface
Capturing tides of change — As Ukraine marks 25 years of independence against a backdrop of unrest, photographer Adam Hinton reflects on a country still coming to terms with its identity.
Written by: Cian Traynor
Story Behind the Still: How it feels to be gay in Russia
Resisting oppression in style — Twenty-seven-year old Ruslan, a ballet dancer at the Academy of Russian Ballet, smokes a cigarette at the Central Station, an LGBT nightclub in St. Petersburg, Russia. He was once married to a woman for five years but, following their divorce, he came out as gay. Mads Nissen reveals how he found his subject and why it became a symbol of self-expression.
Written by: Jack Richardson
The Russian BMXers finding freedom on their bikes
BMXing in the Baltic — Our generation grew up being told the world could be ours, to dream big, and that anything was possible - but for many of us life isn't quite panning out as planned. One group of young BMXers in Russia reckon life is just as fulfilling when you sit back and enjoy the ride.
Written by: Robert Fanshawe
How Georgian artists are staring down Putin with humour and satire
Fighting for freedom of expression under the shadow of Putin’s Russia — Author and playwright Lasha Bugadze explains how Georgia’s post-Soviet generation of artists are battling for freedom and democracy.
Written by: Alex King
The Defiance Issue
Out Now — This year Huck is all about attitude. The energy, emotions and lenses on life that create connections across the divide. The Defiance Issue traces a jagged line across the globe, picking up voices of rebellion along the way.
Written by: HUCK HQ
In Pictures: Echosight’s collaborative mashups combine photojournalism and art
Double Take — From Ferguson and Baltimore to Russia and Ukraine, mashup project Echosight is blending stories from across the world to create a new common ground. Co-founder Daniella Zalcman talks Huck through its inception.
Written by: Daniella Zalcman