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Mishustin, Mikhail Vladimirovich

(Encyclopedia)Mishustin, Mikhail Vladimirovich, 1966–, Russian economist and political leader. Trained in systems engineering and economics, he was Russia's deputy tax minister (1998–2004), then worked for gove...

Przhevalsky, Nikolai Mikhailovich

(Encyclopedia)Przhevalsky, Nikolai Mikhailovich nyĭkəlīˈ mēkhīˈləvĭch pərzhĭvälˈskē [key], 1839–88, Russian geographer and explorer in central and E Asia. He made five major expeditions—one to the...

Van Vechten, Carl

(Encyclopedia)Van Vechten, Carl văn vĕkˈtən [key], 1880–1964, American music critic, novelist, and photographer, b. Cedar Rapids, Iowa, grad. Univ. of Chicago, 1903. While he was a leading music and dance cri...

Takemitsu, Toru

(Encyclopedia)Takemitsu, Toru tōˈro͞o täkāˈmĭtso͞o [key], 1930–96, Japanese composer, b. Tokyo. Largely self-taught and particularly influenced by Debussy and Cage, Takemitsu successfully combined serial ...

Bolshoi Ballet

(Encyclopedia)Bolshoi Ballet bōlˈshoi, bôlˈ– [key], one of the principal ballet companies of Russia; part of the Bolshoi Theatre, which also includes Russia's premier opera company. The Bolshoi Ballet began a...

Bethlen, Gabriel

(Encyclopedia)Bethlen, Gabriel bĕthˈlən [key], 1580–1629, prince of Transylvania (1613–29). He was chief adviser of Stephen Bocskay and was elected prince after the assassination of Gabriel Báthory. A Prote...

Kamchatka

(Encyclopedia)Kamchatka kămchătˈkə [key], peninsula, 104,200 sq mi (269,878 sq km), Kamchatka Territory, Russian Far East, separating the Sea of Okhotsk in the west from the Bering Sea and the Pacific Ocean in ...

Khodorkovsky, Mikhail Borisovich

(Encyclopedia)Khodorkovsky, Mikhail Borisovich mēkhəyēlˈ bərēˈsəvĭch kōdôrkôfˈskē [key], 1963–, Russian business executive. In the waning years of the Soviet Union, he ran a computer import business...

Apraksin, Feodor Matveyevich

(Encyclopedia)Apraksin, Feodor Matveyevich fyôˈdər mətvyāˈəvĭch əpräkˈsyĭn [key], 1671–1728, Russian admiral. He helped Peter I (Peter the Great) create the Russian navy and won several naval battles ...

Frug, Simeon Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Frug, Simeon Samuel sĭmyônˈ səmo͞oēlˈ fro͞ok [key], 1860–1916, Russian-Jewish lyricist and writer. His poems, dealing mainly with Zionist themes, appeared in Russian and Jewish periodicals u...