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Golden Names of Russia

липин
Throughout history, there have been instances where prominent scientists became widely known not for their primary scientific achievements but for minor, sometimes outright trivial, associations. For example, Nikolai Przhevalsky would likely be surprised to learn that more than a century later, his name is most commonly linked to the wild Asian horse he discovered, rather than to his numerous geographic and natural history discoveries, let alone his life’s work—exploring Central Asia. A similar situation befell the Soviet metallurgist Vyacheslav Lipin.
григорьев
In 1950, 31 new minerals were discovered in the USSR, including 14 previously unknown to science. In 1954 and 1955, the first primary diamond deposits were identified in the country—kimberlite pipes ”Zarnitsa,” ”Mir,” and ”Udachnaya” in Yakutia, later recognized as some of the largest in the world. Around the same time, the ”Finch” pipe was discovered in South Africa, and the Shinkolobwe mine in Congo revealed a series of new minerals, including yttionite, beckerite, scootite, curite, fourmarierite, and masuyite.
металлургический комбинат
In the essay ”A Collector’s Item” by Joseph Brodsky, the author vividly describes the execution of Colonel Oleg Penkovsky, a GRU officer and Anglo-American spy exposed in 1962. Penkovsky’s name became a household term across the Soviet Union due to his high-profile trial. Official accounts state that he was executed by a firing squad, but Brodsky asserts that the spy was burned alive in a crematorium furnace.
гринько
In 1953, the section chief of the mine boldly named ”Stalin’s Face” within the Krasnolucheugol trust made a pivotal decision: to shift from three 8-hour production shifts to two, dedicating the remaining shift to daily maintenance of the incline and equipment, reinforcing the working face, and conducting ventilation and fill works. During an era when the coal industry faced constant shortages and operated non-stop—without weekends or holidays—such a proposal could be perceived as an act of defiance and deliberate underperformance.
годлевский
Mikhail Godlevsky’s scientific career was on the rise by the early 1940s. He discovered new minerals and deposits, published textbooks and atlases for specialized universities, and his articles on industrially important nickel silicates and borates were highly valued by Vernadsky, Fersman, and Betekhtin. All these achievements were overshadowed by war, captivity, the Gulag, and the Norilsk prisoners’ uprising in 1953. Few managed to survive such a sequence of tragic events. Even fewer were able to fully recover, restore their names, and regain their former prominence.
лутугин
Italy, 1911. The International Industrial Exhibition in Turin attracted 7.5 million visitors eager to explore the scientific and technological achievements of leading nations. Each delegation aimed to leave a lasting impression on the jury and spectators by constructing national pavilions in Valentino Park on the banks of the Po River, designed by renowned architects and designers.
васильев
There is a well-known saying: ”A country can be considered a great power if it has three programs: space, nuclear, and Antarctic.” In 1978, a young mechanic and designer, Nikolai Vasilyev, joined the Antarctic research department at his alma mater, the Leningrad Mining Institute. He certainly expected to make a contribution to the study of the Sixth Continent, but he had no idea what role he would play in this strategically important program.
хмельницкий
The scale of the Patriotic War of 1812, according to historians, was ”almost unbelievable.” The military and civilian casualties were staggering to contemporaries and still shock us today. A significant factor in the victory over Napoleon was the accelerated pace of military production. For instance, the Tula Arms Factory in 1812 produced 75% more rifles than in 1811, while the Kiev Arsenal doubled its output.
Курмаков
On January 1, 2024, five new countries joined BRICS, including Ethiopia. This sparked articles in the media questioning why Ethiopia, among all the candidates, was chosen as a member of this influential bloc. «The Ethiopian people will never forget your kindness. You are inseparable from us, we have etched you in our hearts», - wrote Emperor Menelik II to Tsar Nicholas II in 1896.
трусов
On the fourth day of the war, June 26, 1941, the leadership of the Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University raised the question of forming a combat regiment composed entirely of its students and faculty. By the morning of June 30, more than 900 applications from university members had been submitted for enlistment in the Red Army.