Dear Diedrovka

One of the interesting side effects of the sudden rise of rampant capitalism in the former Soviet Union has been the appearence of Western-style tabloid newspapers. Back in the old days, the brainwashed Socialists had nothing to read except party-owned staples like Pravda ("Truth", and never was a newpaper less honestly named) and Trud, the official paper of the Soviet trade union movement. These days, however, there are rather more options, and many of them adopt a more populist, western attitude to reporting. As the editor of the Moscow times recently pointed out when the similarities between his newspaper and The Sun were noted, "The British and the Russians are quite similar - they both like reading about football and looking at girls breasts."

Thanks to this growth in quality, western style journalism in the russias, we are today lucky enough to have Dierdrokva, Russia's answer to The Sun's Dear Diedre agony column.

So post your problems to me here, my worry-molested chums, and Babushka Diedrovka will answer your woes, giving simple, helpful and above all Russian advice.