One of Current Time’s most popular programs, Unknown Russia, has seen spectacular growth thanks to a new digital strategy that repurposes the content for social media users.

The show, an intimate portrait of ordinary Russians living on the margins of mainstream society, became the first Current Time TV program to break the half-million views barrier on YouTube with a story about life in Berezniki, a city devoured by massive sinkholes caused by Soviet-era mining tunnels.

Altogether, Unknown Russia and its various social-media derivatives have generated more than 18 million views. In its TV version, the program has been snapped up by 10 broadcast partners in Russia, Moldova, Spain, Israel, and Central Asia, making it one of Current Time’s most in-demand shows.