1. The Russians called the date September 1 because they were still using the Julian Calendar. They adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1918.
2. For the same reason, they call the Russian Revolution the “October Revolution” though it began on November 7 by the modern calendar.
3. The Russian Empire had lasted from 1721-1917, the Russian Republic lasted only a few weeks.
4. Alexander Kerensky fled Russia and lived in Paris and New York until he died in 1970.
5. A new post-revolution Russian republic existed from 1917-1922 when it became part of the USSR.
6. With the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia again became an independent country.
7. Covering 6.6 million square miles, Russia is by far the largest country in the world by area.
8. The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia, is home to about 70 cats which keep the treasures safe from mice and rats.
9. Russians tend to lower the ear flaps on their fur hats when the temperature falls below –20C.
10. Vladivostok airport banned President Barack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron from the duty free shop in 2014.