The Battle of Kursk was a catastrophic defeat for Germany; the Wehrmacht suffered around 200,000 casualties and lost nearly 700 tanks and 1,000 aircraft. These losses were irreplaceable.

Remnants of a Failed Utopia in the Former Soviet Union. By Rena Silverman. November 14, 2015 ... A monument honoring “warrior liberators” near Voronezh, Russia.

For a moment, it was as if the Soviet Union had never happened. Here was the New Russia, still poor, still searching for something to believe in, still struggling to feed its people.

Victims of nuclear tests and accidents were commemorated in Russia's Voronezh on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the first Soviet nuclear test, RFE/RL's Russian Service reports.

Professional companies reportedly estimate it will cost 100,000 rubles ($1,530) to restore the Soviet symbol — a monetary value sure to make Patrick's acquaintance Mr. Krabs cringe.