De Volkskrant recently published Yuri Kozyrev’s photographs from the far east of Russia, part of a road trip through this region with writer Olaf Koens.
The Lena River winds vertically through Russia. In the summer ferries carry people back and forth, and in the winter heavy trucks transport goods over the ice. But in October, when the ferries stops and the ice has not toughened yet – the city Jakoetsk and the hinterlands are in deep trouble – dividing the population and leaving people stranded on both sides of the river Lena.
Nikkel is the name of the small Russian town where nickel is extracted and processed. The air is filthy – but the population living above the polar are have become accustomed to it.