“The Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) is a supersonic interceptor aircraft developed to replace the MiG-25 “Foxbat”. The MiG-31 was designed by the Mikoyan design bureau based on the MiG-25”. – Wikipedia

Photos: The Mikoyan MiG-31 “Foxhound”. Russia, April 2012. (Photo by Alexandr Pak; Source: LiveJournal)

Lake Baikal is the world's oldest lake, at 25 million years (possibly older), and deepest, averaging 744.4 metres (2,442 ft).

Located in the south of the Russian region of Siberia, between Irkutsk Oblast to the northwest and the Buryat Republic to the southeast, it is the most voluminous freshwater lake in the world, containing roughly 20% of the world's unfrozen surface fresh water.

“Throughout those last months photography has grown in me. It has become a part of my life and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Flickr is my small theater, hope you'll enjoy the show”. – ShmilebliK

Photo: Short circuit, 2012 (Photo by ShmilebliK)

“Contrails (short for “condensation trails”) or vapour trails are artificial clouds that are the visible trails of condensed water vapour made by the exhaust of aircraft engines. As the hot exhaust gases cool in the surrounding air they may precipitate a cloud of microscopic water droplets or, if the air is cold enough, tiny ice crystals”. – Wikipedia

Photo: An airplane leaves a vapor trail as it flies in front of he moon on January 17, 2007 above Hanover, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

In modern Russia there are no free elections, therefore the political elite is almost constant.

Photo: Valentina Matvienko, Mayor of St. Petersburg, attends the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 17, 2011 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Global business leaders have gathered in Russia for the three-day conference. (Photo by Alexander Aleshkin/Epsilon/Getty Images)

Opposition protesters take to the streets of Moscow. Mass meeting in Bolotnaya Square on December 10, 2011 in Moscow, Russia.

Photo by: Stas Sedov and Dmitry Chistoprudov; Source: AirPano

“Cormorant fishing is a traditional fishing method in which fishermen use trained cormorants to fish in rivers. Historically, cormorant fishing has taken place in Japan and China from around 960 AD. and recorded from other places throughout the world”. – Wikipedia

Photo: A cormorant raised by a fisherman catches a fish on a canal on November 27, 2007 in Xitang Town of Jiashan County, Zhejiang Province, China. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

Poznań is now Poland's fifth largest city. It is sometimes claimed to be the first capital of the kingdom of Poland. Poznań has many historic buildings and sights. The European Football Championship will take place in Poznan 2012.

Photo by: tiseb ; Source: Flickr