Valentina Tereshkova

Available for over a year

The Russian doll, that iconic, and rather kitsch, piece of classic folk art, expresses a profound vision of Russian life. The political ones, offering a sly joke about the continuity of a country that also prides itself on revolutionary change, are almost all men, yet women have played their part in Russian history too. As she finds her fourth doll, Vanora Bennett looks at the achievements of Valentina Tereshkova, who in 1963 became the first woman in space. Producer Mark Rickards.