Many so-called pragmatists want nothing to do with space exploration or other kinds of ambitious endeavours that don't have a clear payoff. This mentality is hugely damaging to our success as a civilization. Our desire to understand the universe is kindled by curiosity and wonder, and this has fuelled countless scientific breakthroughs.

Besides problems of traditional societies, the Caucasus has to cope with quite a few unsettled territorial conflicts that also nurture authoritarian governmental structures.

One does not succeed by sticking to convention.

Chess is life in miniature. Chess is struggle, chess is battles

I would say that when you go to the very, very top, it's an ability to come up with new ideas, with something new, to make the difference. Every world champion, every player who was traversing this universe, managed to bring something new to the game. This ability to always find some unconventional ways. That makes the final difference.

We know that the governments in most of the successor states formed after the collapse of the Soviet Union are replaced through a process of regular elections.

I now have Croatian citizenship, but I only accepted it because Croatia allowed me to keep my Russian passport.