The Russian word that is most frequently spoken throughout the world isn't Lenin, gulag or perestroika, it’s ‘Kalashnikov’. The reason for this is simple: there are 80 million Kalashnikovs in circulation on five continents. Once invented, the AK-47 assault rifle became the most widely used weapon in the world: from Vietnam to Palestine, from Cuba to Iraq, it was at the heart of conflicts and struggles everywhere. It is the only firearm that has ever been depicted on a national flag – that of Mozambique, where it symbolizes liberation. Mikhail Kalashnikov himself, who was born in 1919, here tells his life story, with the help of Elena Joly, for the first time: his deportation to Siberia with his family while still a child; his time as a soldier in a tank regiment; his invention of the world’s most famous weapon and his turbulent life under Stalin, Khrushchev, Brezhnev, Gorbachev and Yeltsin. This is a remarkable portrait of a man of ingenuity and vitality in the context of the often frightening and terribly unforgiving Russia of the twentieth century.
Stochastic systems provide powerful abstract models for a variety of important real-life applications: for example, power supply, traffic flow, data transmission. They (and the real systems they model) are often subject to phase transitions, behaving in one way when a parameter is below a certain critical value, then switching behaviour as soon as that critical value is reached. In a real system, we do not necessarily have control over all the parameter values, so it is important to know how to find critical points and to understand system behaviour near these points. This book is a modern presentation of the 'semimartingale' or 'Lyapunov function' method applied to near-critical stochastic systems, exemplified by non-homogeneous random walks. Applications treat near-critical stochastic systems and range across modern probability theory from stochastic billiards models to interacting particle systems. Spatially non-homogeneous random walks are explored in depth, as they provide prototypical near-critical systems.
In his timely book, Mikhail Suslov discusses contemporary Russian geopolitical culture and argues that a better knowledge of geopolitical concepts and fantasies is instrumental for understanding Russia’s policies. Specifically, he analyzes such concepts as “Eurasianism,” “Holy Russia,” “Russian civilization,” “Russia as a continent,” “Novorossia,” and others. He demonstrates that these concepts reached unprecedented ascendance in the Russian public debates, tending to overshadow other political and domestic discussions. Suslov argues that the geopolitical imagination, structured by these concepts, defines the identity of post-Soviet Russia, while this complex of geopolitical representations engages, at the same time, with the broader, international criticism of the Western liberal world order and aligns itself with the conservative defense of cultural authenticity across the globe. Geopolitical ideologies and utopias discussed in the book give the post-Soviet political mainstream the intellectual instruments to think about Russia’s exclusion—imaginary or otherwise—from the processes of a global world which is re-shaping itself after the end of the Cold War; they provide tools to construct the self-perception of Russia as a sovereign great-power, a self-sufficient civilization, and as one of the poles in a multipolar world; and they help to establish the Messianic vision of Russia as the beacon of order, tradition, and morality in a sea of chaos and corruption.
Each year a large number of first rate articles on the physics and technology of semiconductor devices, written by Soviet experts in the field, are published. However, due to the lack of exchange and personal contact, most of these, unfortunately, are neglected by many scientists from the United States, Japan as well as Western Europe. Consequently, many important developments in semiconductor physics are missed by the Western world.This book is a serious attempt to bridge the gap between the Soviet and Western scientific communities. Most of all, it is an effort towards facilitating the communication and sharing of knowledge amongst people from different parts of the world. Ultimately, the aim is to contribute towards the building of a better world for all ? one where the knowledge of advanced technology and scientific discoveries is used to improve the quality of life and not the pursuit of selfish mutually destructive behavior. For those in the field who wish to partake in this exchange of knowledge and as a gesture of support for their Soviet counterparts, the reading of this book provides the first step.
Authoritative yet accessible, the definitive undergraduate text on Russian geography and culture has now been thoroughly revised with current data and timely topics, such as the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol and other background for understanding Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Thematic chapters provide up-to-date coverage of Russia's physical, political, cultural, and economic geography. Regional chapters focus on the country's major regions and the other 14 former Soviet republics. Written in a lucid, conversational style by a Russian-born international expert, the concise chapters interweave vivid descriptions of urban and rural landscapes, examinations of Soviet and post-Soviet life, deep knowledge of environmental and conservation issues, geopolitical insights, engaging anecdotes, and rigorous empirical data. Over 200 original maps, photographs, and other figures are also available as PowerPoint slides at the companion website, many in color. New to This Edition *Separate chapter on Ukraine and Crimea, covering events through 2019. *Timely topics--the political crisis in Ukraine and annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol; the return of Putin as president; climate change and environmental degradation; economic slowdown; political shifts in the republics; the role of Russian-backed forces in Syria, Libya, and Central African Republic; changes in Russia–United States relations; and more. *Thoroughly updated population, economic, and political data. *80 new or updated figures, tables, and maps. Pedagogical Features *End-of-chapter review questions, suggested assignments, and in-class exercises. *Within-chapter vignettes about Russian places, culture, and history. *End-of-chapter internet resources and suggestions for further reading. *Companion website with all figures and maps from the book, many in full color.
The aim of our book is the investigation of the behavior of strong and weak solutions to the regular oblique derivative problems for second order elliptic equations, linear and quasi-linear, in the neighborhood of the boundary singularities. The main goal is to establish the precise exponent of the solution decrease rate and under the best possible conditions. The question on the behavior of solutions of elliptic boundary value problems near boundary singularities is of great importance for its many applications, e.g., in hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, fracture mechanics, in the geodesy etc. Only few works are devoted to the regular oblique derivative problems for second order elliptic equations in non-smooth domains. All results are given with complete proofs. The monograph will be of interest to graduate students and specialists in elliptic boundary value problems and their applications.
Mikhail Gorbachev and Zdenek Mlynar were friends for half a century, since they first crossed paths as students in 1950. Although one was a Russian and the other a Czech, they were both ardent supporters of communism and socialism. One took part in laying the groundwork for and carrying out the Prague spring; the other opened a new political era in Soviet world politics. In 1993 they decided that their conversations might be of interest to others and so they began to tape-record them. This book is the product of that “thinking out loud” process. It is an absorbing record of two friends trying to explain to one another their views on the problems and events that determined their destinies. From reminiscences of their starry-eyed university days to reflections on the use of force to “save socialism” to contemplation of the end of the cold war, here is a far more candid picture of Gorbachev than we have ever seen before.
A collection of essays first published in Moscow in 1909. Writing from various points of view, the authors reflect the diverse experiences of Russia's failed 1905 revolution. Condemned by Lenin and rediscoverd by dissidents, this translation has relevance for discussions on contemporary Russia.
In its adventurous happenings–its abductions, duels, and sexual intrigues–A Hero of Our Time looks backward to the tales of Sir Walter Scott and Lord Byron, so beloved by Russian society in the 1820s and ’30s. In the character of its protagonist, Pechorin–the archetypal Russian antihero–Lermontov’s novel looks forward to the subsequent glories of a Russian literature that it helped, in great measure, to make possible. This edition includes a Translator’s Foreword by Vladimir Nabokov, who translated the novel in collaboration with his son, Dmitri Nabokov.
This book offers the foundations of system analysis as an applied scientific methodology assigned for the investigation of complex and highly interdisciplinary problems. It presents the basic definitions and the methodological and theoretical basis of formalization and solution processes in various subject domains. It describes in detail the methods of formalizing the system tasks and reducing them to a solvable form under real-world conditions.
Leading graphene research theorist Mikhail I. Katsnelson systematically presents the basic concepts of graphene physics in this fully revised second edition. The author illustrates and explains basic concepts such as Berry phase, scaling, Zitterbewegung, Kubo, Landauer and Mori formalisms in quantum kinetics, chirality, plasmons, commensurate-incommensurate transitions and many others. Open issues and unsolved problems introduce the reader to the latest developments in the field. New achievements and topics presented include the basic concepts of Van der Waals heterostructures, many-body physics of graphene, electronic optics of Dirac electrons, hydrodynamics of electron liquid and the mechanical properties of one atom-thick membranes. Building on an undergraduate-level knowledge of quantum and statistical physics and solid-state theory, this is an important graduate textbook for students in nanoscience, nanotechnology and condensed matter. For physicists and material scientists working in related areas, this is an excellent introduction to the fast-growing field of graphene science.
An important introduction to graphene, its physics and potentially significant applications, for graduate students, physicists and materials science researchers.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky is one of the most astute observers of today’s Russia. Imprisoned for a decade in Russia’s prisons on politically motivated charges, he knows all too well the best and the worst of his country. He now lives in exile and, like many Russians who live abroad, he longs for the day when he can return to a free and democratic Russia. This book is Khodorkovsky’s account of what is happening in Russia today and what could happen in the future. Putin will not last forever: sooner or later, there will be a post-Putin era. But Russia’s history has been deeply shaped by an autocratic trap: a revolution against an autocracy has produced another autocracy, followed by another revolution and another autocracy, and so on. If Russia is to find its place as a constructive partner in a global community of civilized nations, then it has to escape this vicious cycle. How to Slay a Dragon is Khodorkovsky’s account of his own journey and of how the vicious cycle of Russian history can be broken. He charts a pathway towards a parliamentary federal republic which would enable Russia to become a free and democratic society, living in peace and without dragons.
Superalloys form a class of the structural materials for high-temperature applications. Nickel superalloys are extensively used in the high-temperature components of gas turbines due to their excellent creep, fatigue, and corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures. These materials are considered paramagnetic in the range of working temperatures. This book presents the features of the ternary phase diagrams Ni-Al-X (X = {Co, Fe, Nb, Ti, Cr}), effects of the alloying on the long-range order and mechanical properties of the Ni3 Al-based alloys. Description of the strain-induced ferromagnetism in the Ni3Al-based alloys and magnetic control of the failure of gas turbine blades are also included. A separate section is devoted to the analysis of the vibration process and strength change in the single-crystal gas turbine blades. This book includes the review of the new intermetallic cobalt superalloys. The structure, crystal lattice parameters, orientation relationships between phases, mechanical and magnetic properties of the Co3(Al,W)-based alloys are described. Non-destructive magnetic point control of the martensite content in low-magnetic austenitic alloys is a new method for detection of the local sites with internal stresses. This method is useful for the detection of the residual stress in the critical parts of industrial products. This book may be useful for specialists in material science, first-year postgraduate students taking a class in material science and engineering, and engineers developing new alloys for the gas turbine technology.
This volume examines the elements of formalism and decisionism in Russian legal thinking and, also, the impact of conservatism on the interplay of these elements. This combination leads to internal contradictions in theorizing about law and rights in Russian legal culture.
This book develops and describes a general methodology that can be applied to any complex human activity (activity with a non-trivial, multi-level internal structure). The structural components of complex activities are considered, and their logical, cause-and-effect, and process structures are functionally described. Considerable attention is paid to organization and management, uncertainties, and the lifecycles of activities, as well as the actors, subject matter, resources, knowledge, and methods involved. Several typical examples are used throughout the text to illustrate the implementation of common approaches involving the functioning of work groups, organizational units, projects, and organizations in general: a retail bank, an aircraft manufacturer, a fire department, and a nuclear power plant. In addition, the book employs a system of connected technical models, in order to ensure that the results are of practical applicability for both experts on the ground and scholars engaged in research on the general principles of how activities (practical, scientific, etc.) are organized or on the management of socio-technical systems.
In a style reminiscent of Anton Chekhov himself--realistic, intimate, and dynamic--Mikhail Chekhov shares unparalleled memories and insights, transporting readers into the world of the Chekhov family. He visits the places where his brother lived and worked and introduces the people he knew and loved, Leo Tolstoy and Piotr Tchaikovsky among them. As a unique eyewitness to the beloved writer's formative years and his artistic maturity, Mikhail Chekhov shows here first-hand the events that inspired the plots for The Seagull, The Black Monk, and The Steppe, among other enduring works. Captivating, surprising, and a joy to read, this memoir reveals the remarkable life of one the most masterful storytellers of our time.
In the qualitative theory of ordinary differential equations, the Liapunov method plays a fundamental role. To use their analogs for the analysis of stability of solutions to parabolic, hyperparabolic, and other nonclassical equations and systems, time-invariant a priori estimates have to be devised for solutions. In this publication only parabolic problems are considered. Here lie, mainly, the problems which have been investigated most thoroughly --- the construction of Liapunov functionals which naturally generalize Liapunov functions for nonlinear parabolic equations of the second order with one spatial variable. The authors establish stabilizing solutions theorems, and the necessary and sufficient conditions of general and asymptotic stability of stationary solutions, including the so-called critical case. Attraction domains for stable solutions of mixed problems for these equations are described. Furthermore, estimates for the number of stationary solutions are obtained.
First published in 1919, this book presents the text of Lermontov's 1840 poem 'The Novice' in the original Russian. An editorial introduction and detailed textual notes in English are also included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Russian poetry and the works of Lermontov.
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