For Russia, you could try something by Svetlana Alexievich. I've read her book about women during WWII. It consists of lots of small personal stories, I'd read a few at a time and then take a break and read something else. They range from funny to heartbreaking, and very down-to-earth -- what do you do when you're a woman soldier, and the men in charge of logistics for the army haven't thought about menstruation?
Or if you like urban fantasy: Night Watch by Sergey Lukyanenko. It's first in a series, but if I remember correctly each book is a finished story, so you don't end at a cliffhanger. A pretty dark story, much about power struggles in the paranormal parts of Moscow.
My favourite German book is Remarque's Nothing new on the Western front.
Heh, all my suggestions are really, really dark. Sorry about that!
You could also check out
https://ayearofreadingtheworld.com/thelist/