THE KREMLIN I took three semesters of Russian history in college. I really liked the professor who taught courses about the massive country, starting with the Mongol invasion through Putins second reign. Since I was a history minor (that and a dollar will get you a bag of chips), I took all the seemingly intriguing courses I could handle and I will say this: Russian history is not boring.

From the great czars, to the 1917 revolution to the current negative population growth, the former Soviet Union has a fraught and storied past. If you havent seen it already, Kate McKinnons Russian character Olya Povlatsky is a hysterical (albeit ridiculously reductionist) depiction of life in the land once associated with the hammer and sickle.

Now to perpetuate an overused joke at the expense of Russian life a video released by Modernd on YouTube proves that in Mother Russia, zoo visits you.

While its unclear if these are Russian tourists or citizens visiting a local zoo, the video taken of a white Bengal tiger sneaking up on an unsuspecting visitor is emblematic of how sketchy it can be in the country. Even with the presence of glass barricades of questionable thickness, you cant be sure if youre ever safe.

OK, maybe the metaphor is being stretched. Either way, the video is great and Russia is fascinating.