Элиста

Golden Shedupp 

17-06-2013 Elista, Russia

Elista s the capital city of the Republic of Kalmykia, Russia 
Elista was founded in 1865 as a small settlement; the name is from Kalmyk els(e)n"sand(y)". In November 1920, Elista became the administrative center of Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast. By the early 1930s, Elista was transformed into a small city as thecollectivization policies of Joseph Stalin forced many Kalmyks to abandon their traditional pastoral nomadic lifestyle in exchange for a modern, sedentary, and urban lifestyle. In October 1935, Elista was recognized as the capital of the Kalmyk ASSR. On December 27, 1943, the Kalmyk ASSR was dissolved and its ethnic Kalmyk residents were forcibly exiled to Siberia. Russian people were brought in to repopulate Elista whose name was changed to Stepnoy (Степно́й). It was called Stepnoy until 1957, when the survivors of the deportations were allowed to return from exile. Some western tourists started to visit Elista from the mid-1990s, and more after it received publicity as the host city of the 1998 Chess Olympiad. The city is safe and has little traffic. On the outskirts of Elista, there are vast grasslands. 
Got postcard from one dear Russian friend, Marina Spasiba

coat of arm and flag os Elista 

Coat of arms and flag of Republic of Kalmykia, Russia

Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик

2014

Сою́з Сове́тских Социалисти́ческих Респу́блик
Pioneers of Sovet Union, mint condition

thx to Roman 

Brno

september 2013, Brno Czech Republic

Helsinki + Moomins+ Tampere

2013/2014 Finland

all three of these new and unwritten 

Санкт-Петербург

Russia, Saint Petersburg 29-10-2013

Two postcard from one city also of same square. Its a St Isaac's Square an St Isaac's Cathedral/
First one is new and unwritten and second is written and satmped sent by friend, Spasiba Marina.
Saint Petersburg is the second largest city in Russia, politically incorporated as a federal subject.
It is located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea.
In 1914 the name of the city was changed from Saint Petersburg to Petrograd, in 1924 to Leningrad and in 1991 back to Saint Petersburg.
Saint Petersburg was founded by Tsar Peter the Great on May 27 1703. Between 1713–1728 and 1732–1918, Saint Petersburg was the imperial capital of Russia.
In 1918, the central government bodies moved from Saint Petersburg (then named Petrograd) to Moscow.
Saint Petersburg is often described as the most Western city of Russia, as well as its cultural capital.
It is the northernmost city in the world with a population of over one million.
Also home to The Hermitage, one of the largest art museums in the world.

Flag and coat of arms of St. Petersburg