Russia’s love affair with running has certainly been rocky: from being a virtually unheard of pastime in the nineties to a trend that swept the nation in the last few years. But has the running boom run its course in Russia or simply reached a new destination?

Russia has one of the biggest markets for counterfeit goods, with almost one-in-three shoppers saying that they've bought a replica in the last year. The rise of online shopping is one of the key drivers of counterfeit sales among a segment of young, educated, and internet-savvy buyers.

Anti-gay laws in Russia have marginalised the nation's LGBTQ community since 2013. But with the World Cup putting the nation on a global stage, Russian authorities are trying to present the state as an inclusive community by embracing the inclusive code of ethics FIFA says the sport embodies.

Russian diplomats have no qualms about using official Twitter accounts to troll the West. In a recent tweet, the UK's embassy used the country’s sinister public image as fodder for a light-hearted Star Wars joke, showing a willingness to merge the political sphere with the entertainment world.