Former captain of the Russian national rugby side Vasily Artemyev tells me the remarkable story of a career which has taken him from Irish schools rugby to scoring a try on the sport's highest stage.&nbsp;
I also delve into the little-known but fascinating history of Russian rugby, discovering how a team of Welshmen from Llanelli RFC kickstarted its development, and why the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk is the unofficial Russian home of the sport.&nbsp;
 
Music: Limelight (Michael Howard); Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottessohn (James Kibbie)

Anastasiia Gerasimova on the Russian banya

There's far more to Russia than the Kremlin's corridors of power, so join me as I hear from Russian personalities from across the worlds of sport, activism, history, the arts and more.
Some of them will be telling me their own stories. Others will open windows onto Russia's rich diversity. 
Episodes might vary in format, but one thing will remain constant: I'll be steering well clear of the country's heated political scene.

I also tweet about Russia @francska1