diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/ESPTimeCast_ESP32.ino b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/ESPTimeCast_ESP32.ino
index 69d0d5c..e659a49 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/ESPTimeCast_ESP32.ino
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/ESPTimeCast_ESP32.ino
@@ -1043,10 +1043,12 @@ String normalizeWeatherDescription(String str) {
   str.replace("д", "d");
   str.replace("ђ", "dj");
   str.replace("е", "e");
+  str.replace("ё", "e");  // Russian
   str.replace("ж", "z");
   str.replace("з", "z");
   str.replace("и", "i");
-  str.replace("ј", "j");
+  str.replace("й", "j");  // Russian
+  str.replace("ј", "j");  // Serbian
   str.replace("к", "k");
   str.replace("л", "l");
   str.replace("љ", "lj");
@@ -1066,6 +1068,11 @@ String normalizeWeatherDescription(String str) {
   str.replace("ч", "c");
   str.replace("џ", "dz");
   str.replace("ш", "s");
+  str.replace("щ", "sh");  // Russian
+  str.replace("ы", "y");   // Russian
+  str.replace("э", "e");   // Russian
+  str.replace("ю", "yu");  // Russian
+  str.replace("я", "ya");  // Russian
 
   // Latin diacritics → ASCII
   str.replace("å", "a");
@@ -1247,13 +1254,12 @@ void fetchWeather() {
   Serial.print(F("[WEATHER] URL: "));  // Use F() with Serial.print
   Serial.println(url);
 
-  HTTPClient http;          // Create an HTTPClient object
   WiFiClientSecure client;  // use secure client for HTTPS
-  client.setInsecure();     // disable certificate validation
-
+  client.stop();            // ensure previous session closed
+  client.setInsecure();     // no cert validation
+  HTTPClient http;          // Create an HTTPClient object
   http.begin(client, url);  // Pass the WiFiClient object and the URL
-
-  http.setTimeout(10000);  // Sets both connection and stream timeout to 10 seconds
+  http.setTimeout(10000);   // Sets both connection and stream timeout to 10 seconds
 
   Serial.println(F("[WEATHER] Sending GET request..."));
   int httpCode = http.GET();  // Send the GET request
@@ -1394,8 +1400,7 @@ void advanceDisplayMode() {
     } else if (weatherAvailable && (strlen(openWeatherApiKey) == 32) && (strlen(openWeatherCity) > 0) && (strlen(openWeatherCountry) > 0)) {
       displayMode = 1;
       Serial.println(F("[DISPLAY] Switching to display mode: WEATHER (from Clock)"));
-    } else if (countdownEnabled && !countdownFinished && ntpSyncSuccessful &&
-         countdownTargetTimestamp > 0 && countdownTargetTimestamp > time(nullptr)) {
+    } else if (countdownEnabled && !countdownFinished && ntpSyncSuccessful && countdownTargetTimestamp > 0 && countdownTargetTimestamp > time(nullptr)) {
       displayMode = 3;
       Serial.println(F("[DISPLAY] Switching to display mode: COUNTDOWN (from Clock, weather skipped)"));
     } else if (nightscoutConfigured) {
@@ -1409,8 +1414,7 @@ void advanceDisplayMode() {
     if (weatherAvailable && (strlen(openWeatherApiKey) == 32) && (strlen(openWeatherCity) > 0) && (strlen(openWeatherCountry) > 0)) {
       displayMode = 1;
       Serial.println(F("[DISPLAY] Switching to display mode: WEATHER (from Date)"));
-    } else if (countdownEnabled && !countdownFinished && ntpSyncSuccessful &&
-         countdownTargetTimestamp > 0 && countdownTargetTimestamp > time(nullptr)) {
+    } else if (countdownEnabled && !countdownFinished && ntpSyncSuccessful && countdownTargetTimestamp > 0 && countdownTargetTimestamp > time(nullptr)) {
       displayMode = 3;
       Serial.println(F("[DISPLAY] Switching to display mode: COUNTDOWN (from Date, weather skipped)"));
     } else if (nightscoutConfigured) {
@@ -1424,8 +1428,7 @@ void advanceDisplayMode() {
     if (showWeatherDescription && weatherAvailable && weatherDescription.length() > 0) {
       displayMode = 2;
       Serial.println(F("[DISPLAY] Switching to display mode: DESCRIPTION (from Weather)"));
-    } else if (countdownEnabled && !countdownFinished && ntpSyncSuccessful &&
-         countdownTargetTimestamp > 0 && countdownTargetTimestamp > time(nullptr)) {
+    } else if (countdownEnabled && !countdownFinished && ntpSyncSuccessful && countdownTargetTimestamp > 0 && countdownTargetTimestamp > time(nullptr)) {
       displayMode = 3;
       Serial.println(F("[DISPLAY] Switching to display mode: COUNTDOWN (from Weather)"));
     } else if (nightscoutConfigured) {
@@ -1436,8 +1439,7 @@ void advanceDisplayMode() {
       Serial.println(F("[DISPLAY] Switching to display mode: CLOCK (from Weather)"));
     }
   } else if (displayMode == 2) {  // Weather Description
-    if (countdownEnabled && !countdownFinished && ntpSyncSuccessful &&
-         countdownTargetTimestamp > 0 && countdownTargetTimestamp > time(nullptr)) {
+    if (countdownEnabled && !countdownFinished && ntpSyncSuccessful && countdownTargetTimestamp > 0 && countdownTargetTimestamp > time(nullptr)) {
       displayMode = 3;
       Serial.println(F("[DISPLAY] Switching to display mode: COUNTDOWN (from Description)"));
     } else if (nightscoutConfigured) {
@@ -2428,6 +2430,7 @@ void loop() {
         "pl",  // Polish
         "pt",  // Portuguese
         "ro",  // Romanian
+        "ru",  // Russian
         "sk",  // Slovak
         "sl",  // Slovenian
         "sr",  // Serbian
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/data/index.html b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/data/index.html
index 12e1de2..0b2977b 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/data/index.html
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/data/index.html
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ textarea::placeholder {
     <option value="pl">Polish</option>
     <option value="pt">Portuguese</option>
     <option value="ro">Romanian</option>
+    <option value="ru">Russian</option>
     <option value="sr">Serbian</option>
     <option value="sk">Slovak</option>
     <option value="sl">Slovenian</option>
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/days_lookup.h b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/days_lookup.h
index 8c884dc..6ffcaf4 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/days_lookup.h
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/days_lookup.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const DaysOfWeekMapping days_mappings[] = {
     { "pl", { "n&i&e", "p&o&n", "w&t&o", "s&r&o", "c&z&w", "p&i&a", "s&o&b" } },
     { "pt", { "d&o&m", "s&e&g", "t&e&r", "q&u&a", "q&u&i", "s&e&x", "s&a&b" } },
     { "ro", { "d&u&m", "l&u&n", "m&a&r", "m&i&e", "j&o&i", "v&i&n", "s&a&m" } },
+    { "ru", { "p&n", "v&t", "s&r", "c&h", "p&t", "s&b", "v&s" } },
     { "sk", { "n&e&d", "p&o&n", "u&t&o", "s&t&r", "s&t&v", "p&i&a", "s&o&b" } },
     { "sl", { "n&e&d", "p&o&n", "t&o&r", "s&r&e", "c&e&t", "p&e&t", "s&o&b" } },
     { "sr", { "n&e&d", "p&o&n", "u&t&o", "s&r&e", "c&e&t", "p&e&t", "s&u&b" } },
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/months_lookup.h b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/months_lookup.h
index acd4ec5..44a0ca0 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/months_lookup.h
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP32/months_lookup.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const MonthsMapping months_mappings[] = {
     { "pl", { "s&t&y", "l&u&t", "m&a&r", "k&w&i", "m&a&j", "c&z&e", "l&i&p", "s&i&e", "w&r&z", "p&a&z", "l&i&s", "g&r&u" } }, // Polish
     { "pt", { "j&a&n", "f&e&v", "m&a&r", "a&b&r", "m&a&i", "j&u&n", "j&u&l", "a&g&o", "s&e&t", "o&u&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&z" } }, // Portuguese
     { "ro", { "i&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&i", "i&u&n", "i&u&l", "a&u&g", "s&e&p", "o&c&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&c" } }, // Romanian
+    { "ru", { "i&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&i", "i&u&n", "i&u&l", "a&u&g", "s&e&p", "o&c&t", "n&o&i", "d&e&c" } }, // Russian
     { "sk", { "j&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&j", "j&u&n", "j&u&l", "a&u&g", "s&e&p", "o&k&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&c" } }, // Slovak
     { "sl", { "j&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&j", "j&u&n", "j&u&l", "a&v&g", "s&e&p", "o&k&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&c" } }, // Slovenian
     { "sr", { "j&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&j", "j&u&n", "j&u&l", "a&v&g", "s&e&p", "o&k&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&c" } }, // Serbian
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266.ino b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266.ino
index 877c072..1bec6bb 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266.ino
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266.ino
@@ -1042,10 +1042,12 @@ String normalizeWeatherDescription(String str) {
   str.replace("д", "d");
   str.replace("ђ", "dj");
   str.replace("е", "e");
+  str.replace("ё", "e");  // Russian
   str.replace("ж", "z");
   str.replace("з", "z");
   str.replace("и", "i");
-  str.replace("ј", "j");
+  str.replace("й", "j");  // Russian
+  str.replace("ј", "j");  // Serbian
   str.replace("к", "k");
   str.replace("л", "l");
   str.replace("љ", "lj");
@@ -1065,6 +1067,11 @@ String normalizeWeatherDescription(String str) {
   str.replace("ч", "c");
   str.replace("џ", "dz");
   str.replace("ш", "s");
+  str.replace("щ", "sh");  // Russian
+  str.replace("ы", "y");   // Russian
+  str.replace("э", "e");   // Russian
+  str.replace("ю", "yu");  // Russian
+  str.replace("я", "ya");  // Russian
 
   // Latin diacritics → ASCII
   str.replace("å", "a");
@@ -1245,12 +1252,12 @@ void fetchWeather() {
   String url = buildWeatherURL();
   Serial.println(F("[WEATHER] URL: ") + url);
 
-  HTTPClient http;          // Create an HTTPClient object
   WiFiClientSecure client;  // use secure client for HTTPS
-  client.setInsecure();     // disable certificate validation
-
+  client.stop();            // ensure previous session closed
+  client.setInsecure();     // no cert validation
+  HTTPClient http;          // Create an HTTPClient object
   http.begin(client, url);  // Pass the WiFiClient object and the URL
-
+  client.setBufferSizes(512, 512);
   http.setTimeout(10000);  // Sets both connection and stream timeout to 10 seconds
 
   Serial.println(F("[WEATHER] Sending GET request..."));
@@ -1774,6 +1781,9 @@ void loop() {
     weatherFetchInitiated = false;
     shouldFetchWeatherNow = false;
   }
+
+
+
   const char *const *daysOfTheWeek = getDaysOfWeek(language);
   const char *daySymbol = daysOfTheWeek[timeinfo.tm_wday];
 
@@ -2409,6 +2419,7 @@ void loop() {
         "pl",  // Polish
         "pt",  // Portuguese
         "ro",  // Romanian
+        "ru",  // Russian
         "sk",  // Slovak
         "sl",  // Slovenian
         "sr",  // Serbian
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/data/index.html b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/data/index.html
index 12e1de2..0b2977b 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/data/index.html
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/data/index.html
@@ -455,6 +455,7 @@ textarea::placeholder {
     <option value="pl">Polish</option>
     <option value="pt">Portuguese</option>
     <option value="ro">Romanian</option>
+    <option value="ru">Russian</option>
     <option value="sr">Serbian</option>
     <option value="sk">Slovak</option>
     <option value="sl">Slovenian</option>
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/days_lookup.h b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/days_lookup.h
index 8c884dc..6ffcaf4 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/days_lookup.h
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/days_lookup.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const DaysOfWeekMapping days_mappings[] = {
     { "pl", { "n&i&e", "p&o&n", "w&t&o", "s&r&o", "c&z&w", "p&i&a", "s&o&b" } },
     { "pt", { "d&o&m", "s&e&g", "t&e&r", "q&u&a", "q&u&i", "s&e&x", "s&a&b" } },
     { "ro", { "d&u&m", "l&u&n", "m&a&r", "m&i&e", "j&o&i", "v&i&n", "s&a&m" } },
+    { "ru", { "p&n", "v&t", "s&r", "c&h", "p&t", "s&b", "v&s" } },
     { "sk", { "n&e&d", "p&o&n", "u&t&o", "s&t&r", "s&t&v", "p&i&a", "s&o&b" } },
     { "sl", { "n&e&d", "p&o&n", "t&o&r", "s&r&e", "c&e&t", "p&e&t", "s&o&b" } },
     { "sr", { "n&e&d", "p&o&n", "u&t&o", "s&r&e", "c&e&t", "p&e&t", "s&u&b" } },
diff --git a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/months_lookup.h b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/months_lookup.h
index acd4ec5..44a0ca0 100644
--- a/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/months_lookup.h
+++ b/ESPTimeCast_ESP8266/months_lookup.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ const MonthsMapping months_mappings[] = {
     { "pl", { "s&t&y", "l&u&t", "m&a&r", "k&w&i", "m&a&j", "c&z&e", "l&i&p", "s&i&e", "w&r&z", "p&a&z", "l&i&s", "g&r&u" } }, // Polish
     { "pt", { "j&a&n", "f&e&v", "m&a&r", "a&b&r", "m&a&i", "j&u&n", "j&u&l", "a&g&o", "s&e&t", "o&u&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&z" } }, // Portuguese
     { "ro", { "i&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&i", "i&u&n", "i&u&l", "a&u&g", "s&e&p", "o&c&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&c" } }, // Romanian
+    { "ru", { "i&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&i", "i&u&n", "i&u&l", "a&u&g", "s&e&p", "o&c&t", "n&o&i", "d&e&c" } }, // Russian
     { "sk", { "j&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&j", "j&u&n", "j&u&l", "a&u&g", "s&e&p", "o&k&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&c" } }, // Slovak
     { "sl", { "j&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&j", "j&u&n", "j&u&l", "a&v&g", "s&e&p", "o&k&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&c" } }, // Slovenian
     { "sr", { "j&a&n", "f&e&b", "m&a&r", "a&p&r", "m&a&j", "j&u&n", "j&u&l", "a&v&g", "s&e&p", "o&k&t", "n&o&v", "d&e&c" } }, // Serbian