How to work with cyrillic in python?

Question

Python

Here in this program:

spoiler

with open('authors.txt', 'r') as file:
    authorsList = file.read().splitlines()

with open('names.txt', 'r') as file:
    namesList = file.read().splitlines()

booksList = []
namesList2 = []
authorsList2 = []

x = 0
for book in namesList:
    x += 1
    stripData = f'{x}. '
    appendData = book.strip(stripData)
    namesList2.append(appendData)


for x in range(0, len(authorsList)):
    booksList.append(f' {authorsList[x]}, {namesList2[x]}')




def showAllBooks():
    for book in booksList:
        print(book)


def searchBook():
    global bookAppears
    
    print('Type a book\'s name')
    print('Введите название книги')
    print()
    print()
    searchingText = input()

    x = 1
    print()
    print()
    for book in booksList:
        if searchingText in book:
            print(f' {x}. {book}')
            x += 1
            bookAppears = True

    if bookAppears == False:
        print('Such book is not found')
        print('Такая книга не найдена')








def start():
    print('Starting...')
    print('Запуск...')
    print()
    print('Type 1 if you want to view all books.')
    print('Type 2 if you want to search a book.')
    print()
    print('Введите 1, если Вы хотите просмотреть все книги.')
    print('Введите 2, если Вы хотите найти книгу.')
    print()
    message = input()
    print()
    
    if message == '1':
        showAllBooks()
        
    elif message == '2':
        searchBook()
        
    else:
        print('Error')
        print('Ошибка')
        

def main():
    start()


bookAppears = False

main()
input()

If the txt files contain books in Latin, then everything is ok. If in Cyrillic, then nothing works.

Answer 1

So it won't read?

with open('authors.txt', 'r', encoding='utf-8') as file:

Answer 2

Probably first you need to find out in what "Russian" encoding they are written? And then use encoding at https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html#open