Kisa Razbiraet

The Blockade Hippopotamus — History in a Minute by Kisa Leningrad, winter of 1941. Inside the starving city, a hippopotamus named Krasavitsa lives in the zoo. She needs 40 kilos of food a day — an impossible burden during the siege. The water supply is destroyed. Her pool dries up. Without water, a hippo’s skin cracks and becomes painfully damaged. Krasavitsa is slowly dying. Her спасение is a woman named Evdokia Dashina. Weak from hunger, she drags sleds to the Neva every day, bringing dozens of buckets of icy water. She heats it on a stove and carefully washes the animal’s skin, rubbing in oils to protect it. There is almost no food. Evdokia steams sawdust, adds scraps of grass and potato peels, and feeds the mixture just to keep the animal alive. During air raids, she climbs into the empty pool and lies next to the frightened hippopotamus, holding her until the bombing stops. Krasavitsa survives the blockade. She dies peacefully in 1951 — not from war, but from old age

Georgy Malenkov — History in a Minute by Kisa Georgy Malenkov was one of Stalin’s closest associates and, briefly, the most powerful man in the USSR after his death. In 1953, when Stalin died, Malenkov became head of the Soviet government. For a short moment, it looked like he would rule the country. He spoke about easing repression and improving people’s lives instead of endless terror. But real power slipped away fast. Nikita Khrushchev outplayed him inside the Party. Malenkov lost allies, was pushed aside, and blamed for past purges he had helped organize. By the late 1950s, he was removed from leadership entirely and sent to manage a power station in Kazakhstan — a massive fall from the Kremlin to the provinces. He died quietly in 1988, remembered as the man who stood at the top of the USSR — but only for a moment.

Sergei Korolev — History in a Minute by Kisa Sergei Korolev was the chief architect of the Soviet space program. The man without whom there would be no Sputnik and no Yuri Gagarin. In 1938, he was arrested on false charges. Prison, Kolyma labor camps, a broken jaw, scurvy — Korolev barely survived. During the war, he was brought back to work in a secret prison design bureau, building rockets for the same state that had almost killed him. After the war, Korolev led the USSR’s missile and space program. In 1957, he launched the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik, shocking the world and starting the Space Age. In 1961, his rocket carried Yuri Gagarin into space. Yet Korolev’s name was kept secret — he was known only as “the Chief Designer.” He died in 1966 during surgery. Only after his death did the world learn who had truly opened humanity’s road to space. 🚀

Defenestration of Prague — History in a Minute by Kisa Prague. “Defenestration” literally means throwing someone out of a window. Czech Protestants were furious: the Catholic emperor promised religious freedom, then began shutting their churches. Angry nobles stormed Prague Castle. No trial, no debate. Two imperial governors and their secretary were dragged to a third-floor window and thrown out — over 20 meters down. Everyone thought they were dead. But all three survived and escaped. Catholics said angels saved them. Protestants joked they landed in a pile of manure. The officials fled to Vienna. Europe exploded. That single fall from a window sparked the Thirty Years’ War — one of the deadliest conflicts in European history. #history #explain

Nikita Khrushchev — History in a Minute by Kisa Nikita Khrushchev was the leader of the Soviet Union after Stalin. He exposed Stalin’s crimes in his Secret Speech and began de-Stalinization. He tried to reform the economy with risky experiments, including massive corn campaigns. During his rule, the world came closest to nuclear war in the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1964, he was removed from power and became the only Soviet leader to live quietly in retirement. #history #book #explain

Kim Il-sung — History in a Minute by Kisa Kim Il-sung was the founder and first leader of North Korea. He fought as a guerrilla against Japanese rule and came to power after World War II with Soviet support. In 1948, he established the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. In 1950, he launched the Korean War, which ended in a stalemate and permanent division of Korea. He created a totalitarian state and the Juche ideology, building a dynasty that still rules North Korea today. #history #explain

Mikhail Kalashnikov — History in a Minute by Kisa Mikhail Kalashnikov was a Soviet engineer and weapons designer. Wounded in World War II, he decided to create a simple and reliable rifle for soldiers. In 1947, he designed the AK-47 — cheap, durable, and easy to use. The rifle spread across the world and became the most famous firearm in history. Kalashnikov believed he was defending his country, but his invention changed global warfare forever. #history #explain

Dmitry Donskoy — History in a Minute by Kisa Dmitry Donskoy was the Grand Prince of Moscow who challenged the Mongol-Tatar rule. In 1380, he defeated the forces of Mamai at the Battle of Kulikovo, uniting Russian lands. This victory did not end the Horde’s power, but it showed that it could be beaten. Donskoy became a symbol of resistance and the rise of Moscow as a future state. #history #explain

Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin — History in a Minute by Kisa Yuri Gagarin was the first human to travel into space. On April 12, 1961, he orbited the Earth aboard Vostok-1, changing history forever. His flight lasted just 108 minutes, but it proved spaceflight was possible for humankind. Gagarin became a global symbol of courage, progress, and the Space Age. #history #explain

Yaroslav the Wise — History in a Minute by Kisa Yaroslav the Wise was a Grand Prince of Kyiv and one of the most powerful rulers of Kyivan Rus. He strengthened the state with laws, creating the first legal code — Russkaya Pravda. Yaroslav turned Kyiv into a major cultural center, building Saint Sophia Cathedral and promoting education. Through dynastic marriages, he connected Rus with Europe — his children became kings and queens. #history #explain

The Birth of the Chinese Republic — History in a Minute by Kisa In 1911, a revolution overthrew China’s last imperial dynasty, the Qing. After centuries of emperors, China became a republic led by Sun Yat-sen. The empire collapsed, but stability didn’t come — warlords, chaos, and civil war followed, shaping China’s turbulent 20th century. #history #explain

The Birth of NATO — History in a Minute by Kisa In 1949, Western countries created NATO as a military alliance against the growing influence of the USSR. The idea was simple: an attack on one member means an attack on all. NATO became the foundation of the Cold War world order — and still shapes global politics today. #history #explain

The Battle of Poltava — History in a Minute by Kisa In 1709, Peter the Great crushed the Swedish army of Charles XII near Poltava. Sweden lost its status as a great power, while Russia emerged as a major European empire. #history #explain