Opinion

Winter is Russia's weapon

Winter began this year in August, once again confirming that the wisest person in my family was my grandfather Stepan. He taught me that summer ends on Aug. 2, the feast day of Saint Elijah, according to the old church calendar. From his lessons, I learned that after that day, it is no longer advisable to swim in rivers and lakes because the water in their underwater channels becomes icy cold. "Elijah pissed in the water," goes a Ukrainian folk saying. Ever since childhood, Elijah has held a s