A fortunate discovery of copper mines in Siberia some seven decades ago is finally about to be explored, raising hopes of a boon for Russia and beyond, as copper will play a key role in the world's energy transition away from carbon. Watch this report for more details.

Russia: Siberia copper mine aims to become global energy pivot

<p>In 1949, a Soviet expedition in Siberia was looking for uranium to supply the national nuclear arsenal when it stumbled on a vast deposit of copper.</p>

<p>More than 70 years later, a mining complex in Russia's Far East between Lake Baikal and the Pacific Ocean is finally due to launch operations next year.</p>

<p>With copper key to the world's energy transition away from carbon, the hope is it will be a boon for Russia and beyond.</p>

<p>"The long-awaited project is a long-awaited event in the life of the Far East and the entire mining industry of Russia and the world," said Valery Kazikayev, chairman of Udokan Copper, the company developing the site.</p>

<p>Kazikayev, who makes the nine-hour journey by plane from Moscow to the mine twice a month, brought AFP journalists on a tour late September.</p>

<p>At an altitude of 2,000 metres (6,500 feet), the heavy snow covering the mine offers a glimpse at the difficulty of rendering it operable.</p>

<p>"The Soviet Union wasn't able to develop these deposits," Kazikayev, 66, said at the site, where construction began in 2019.</p>

<p>The mine is located both in a seismic zone and on permafrost -- ground that remains completely frozen all-year round. Temperatures can drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter.</p>

<p>These conditions mean developing the site is "difficult", Kazikayev said, noting as a result that "construction is very expensive."</p>

<p><strong>The new 'black gold'</strong></p>

<p>The work of harvesting copper ore has begun and workers are busy setting explosives to blow up permafrost so digging can go ahead.</p>

<p>Holding more than 26 million tonnes of copper, the mine, some 6,500 kilometres (4,000 miles) east of Moscow, claims to be the largest untapped deposit in Russia and the third largest in the world.</p>

<p>To develop the project, Udokan Copper -- which purchased the license in 2008 and is part of billionaire Alisher Usmanov's USM holding company -- raised nearly $3 billion (2.5 billion euros) from Russian banks.</p>

<p>The company also took advantage of preferential conditions granted for developing Russia's Far East, a neglected and isolated region.</p>

<p>The substantial investment is expected to bear fruit.</p>

<p>The price of copper, dubbed the "new black gold", soared to historic heights this year -- and shows no signs of slowing.</p>

<p>"Over the next 15 years, the demand for copper will grow by 30 percent" as the "green economy" grows, said Yulia Buchneva, an analyst at Fitch Ratings in Moscow.</p>

<p>Copper plays a key role in renewable energies and green technologies, she explained, because of its thermal and electrical conductivity properties.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She cited in particular the growing production of electric vehicles, which rely on copper.</p>

<p>Udokan Copper is eyeing Asian markets, particularly China, South Korea and Japan, where demand is high.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To reach those markets, the company is relying on the Baikal-Amur Mainline track (BAM) railway, where work is ongoing.</p>

<p>The line was constructed in the early 1980s next to the deposits in part to realise the goal of extracting the region's mineral wealth.</p>

<p><strong>Logistical challenges</strong></p>

<p>The BAM, which spans more than 4,000 kilometres across Siberia to the Pacific, is a grandiose Soviet project and financial abyss.</p>

<p>Udokan Copper hopes eventually to send its cathodes and copper condensates by train to the Chinese border or Russian ports on the Sea of Japan.</p>

<p>Kazikayev notes the mine is 2,000 kilometres closer to Tokyo than to Moscow.</p>

<p>Still, in an isolated and icy expanse, the logistical challenges are massive.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The company has had to build a power station to supply the energy for the work.</p>

<p>It had to construct a road to the closest airport, which features a wooden terminal.</p>

<p>And it had to bring 4,000 construction workers from Siberia and ex-Soviet republics to the area, home to a few hundred members of the indigenous Evenk reindeer herding people.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The site's deputy general manager Alexei Yaschuk said the team is now used to extreme conditions.</p>

<p>"The main challenge is keeping the roads in working condition. Bulldozers are constantly working," the 44-year-old told AFP.</p>

<p>The only time they stop, he said, is when temperatures fall below minus 35 degrees and visibility is less than 50 metres (165 feet).</p>

<p>"The storms and snowfalls are pretty heavy here."</p>


In 1949, a Soviet expedition in Siberia was looking for uranium to supply the national nuclear arsenal when it stumbled on a vast deposit of copper. More than 70 years later, a mining complex in Russia's Far East between Lake Baikal and the Pacific Ocean is finally due to launch operations next year.

In 1949, a Soviet expedition in Siberia was looking for uranium to supply the national nuclear arsenal when it stumbled on a vast deposit of copper. More than 70 years later, a mining complex in Russia's Far East between Lake Baikal and the Pacific Ocean is finally due to launch operations next year. With copper key to the world's energy transition away from carbon, the hope is it will be a boon for Russia and beyond. "The long-awaited project is a long-awaited event in the life of the Far East and the entire mining industry of Russia and the world," said Valery Kazikayev, chairman of Udokan Copper, the company developing the site. Kazikayev, who makes the nine-hour journey by plane from Moscow to the mine twice a month, brought AFP journalists on a tour late September. At an altitude of 2,000 metres (6,500 feet), the heavy snow covering the mine offers a glimpse at the difficulty of rendering it operable. "The Soviet Union wasn't able to develop these deposits," Kazikayev, 66, said at the site, where construction began in 2019. The mine is located both in a seismic zone and on permafrost -- ground that remains completely frozen all-year round. Temperatures can drop to minus 60 degrees Celsius (minus 76 degrees Fahrenheit) in the winter. These conditions mean developing the site is "difficult", Kazikayev said, noting as a result that "construction is very expensive." The new 'black gold' The work of harvesting copper ore has begun and workers are busy setting explosives to blow up permafrost so digging can go ahead. Holding more than 26 million tonnes of copper, the mine, some 6,500 kilometres (4,000 miles) east of Moscow, claims to be the largest untapped deposit in Russia and the third largest in the world. To develop the project, Udokan Copper -- which purchased the license in 2008 and is part of billionaire Alisher Usmanov's USM holding company -- raised nearly $3 billion (2.5 billion euros) from Russian banks. The company also took advantage of preferential conditions granted for developing Russia's Far East, a neglected and isolated region. The substantial investment is expected to bear fruit. The price of copper, dubbed the "new black gold", soared to historic heights this year -- and shows no signs of slowing. "Over the next 15 years, the demand for copper will grow by 30 percent" as the "green economy" grows, said Yulia Buchneva, an analyst at Fitch Ratings in Moscow. Copper plays a key role in renewable energies and green technologies, she explained, because of its thermal and electrical conductivity properties. She cited in particular the growing production of electric vehicles, which rely on copper. Udokan Copper is eyeing Asian markets, particularly China, South Korea and Japan, where demand is high. To reach those markets, the company is relying on the Baikal-Amur Mainline track (BAM) railway, where work is ongoing. The line was constructed in the early 1980s next to the deposits in part to realise the goal of extracting the region's mineral wealth. Logistical challenges The BAM, which spans more than 4,000 kilometres across Siberia to the Pacific, is a grandiose Soviet project and financial abyss. Udokan Copper hopes eventually to send its cathodes and copper condensates by train to the Chinese border or Russian ports on the Sea of Japan. Kazikayev notes the mine is 2,000 kilometres closer to Tokyo than to Moscow. Still, in an isolated and icy expanse, the logistical challenges are massive. The company has had to build a power station to supply the energy for the work. It had to construct a road to the closest airport, which features a wooden terminal. And it had to bring 4,000 construction workers from Siberia and ex-Soviet republics to the area, home to a few hundred members of the indigenous Evenk reindeer herding people. The site's deputy general manager Alexei Yaschuk said the team is now used to extreme conditions. "The main challenge is keeping the roads in working condition. Bulldozers are constantly working," the 44-year-old told AFP. The only time they stop, he said, is when temperatures fall below minus 35 degrees and visibility is less than 50 metres (165 feet). "The storms and snowfalls are pretty heavy here."

In Siberia, a copper mine hopes to become a global energy pivot

The official website of the Kremlin published a series of appealing photos in which Russian President Vladimir Putin can be seen hiking and fishing in Siberia.

Kremlin releases pictures of Russian President Vladimir Putin's weekend in Siberia

Extreme weather has triggered forest fires in Canada, the US and Russia. Even Earth's coldest winter city in Siberia is burning.

Gravitas: Climate change super-charges wildfires

Two riders from the Yakutsk region in Russia's Siberia are on a year-long horseback journey to Moscow, and aim to trek further into Europe.

Ride of their life: Siberian horsemen saddle up for transcontinental trek

Scientists in Siberia have come up with a device that turns medical waste into synthesis gas and inert slag that can be used in fuel and construction.

Siberian turns PPE kits into fuel & slag

<p>When the champion free diver and multiple world-record holder Alexey Molchanov stepped onto the streaked ice on Lake Baikal in southern Siberia on March 16, the sky was cobalt blue. The sun illuminated the surrounding mountains; the wind was light and the air a balmy 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 Celsius).</p>

<p>It was the perfect day for a swim.</p>

<p>But this wasn’t the typical polar-bear plunge. Molchanov, 34, hoped to swim 80 meters, or approximately 262 feet, beneath the meter-thick icy surface and back up on a single breath. In the process, he would break yet another world record.</p>

<p>Dressed in a thick, blue wetsuit and gloves, he slid into a monofin then slipped into a 3-foot-square cut in the ice, where he clipped onto a thin rope that disappeared into the inky water.</p>

<p>He deployed a technique that his mother, Natalia Molchanova (the most decorated free diver of all time), first developed and taught, and Molchanov has taken worldwide. She called it deconcentration. Instead of taking in the scene, he detached from it, both visually and psychologically.</p>

<p>He focused on taking long, deep, rhythmic breaths until his heart rate slowed and he entered a meditative state. Then he sipped the air through pursed lips until his lungs were fully inflated, from his diaphragm to the tiny air pockets between and behind his shoulder blades. Finally, he ducked below the surface and disappeared.</p>

<p>Nearly 100 spectators and a throng of Russian news media waited on the surface above him.</p>

<p>This dive was more difficult than most. His wetsuit was seven times thicker than normal, which made it more challenging to kick against the positive buoyancy found in the first 10 meters (33 feet) of depth.</p>

<p>All that effort demanded he tap into his finite supply of oxygen. To keep warm, he wore a mask, something he typically avoids on deep dives, which meant he had to hold his nose between his thumb and forefinger to equalize instead of relying on a nose clip. Plus, cold water makes equalization of the sinuses, when a diver funnels air into the sinuses to keep them pressurized to prevent head pain and injuries such as burst eardrums, extremely challenging.</p>

<p>Within 20 seconds, he had reached 20 meters (66 feet) and puffed his cheeks out to create a vacuum for the remaining air in his lungs to fill. On typical dives, he stores this “mouth-fill” and uses it to equalize without having to worry about leaks. But in water that was 1 to 2 degrees Celsius, his lips numbed quickly, and he had to clamp them shut with his fingers, his thumb and forefinger on his nose, his middle and ring fingers on his lips.</p>

<p>On the slow drop toward 80 meters, the sound of crackling ice rippled through the water, the barometric pressure cranked up, and it was painfully cold. His job was to accept it all and remain relaxed no matter how awful it felt or what happened next.</p>

<p>He arrived at the illuminated bottom plate, grabbed a black tag and, with an ever-dwindling oxygen supply, dolphin-kicked back toward the hole in the ice.</p>

<p>For the past four years, Molchanov has been the undisputed best all-around free diver in the world. He came of age traveling the world, from competition to competition, with his mother, who set 41 world records and won 23 world championship titles, despite not discovering the sport until after she divorced at 39 years old. She never sought sponsorship and supported her family by teaching the sport she loved.</p>

<p>By the time she disappeared while free diving near Ibiza in 2015, her curriculum was being taught across Russia and Eastern Europe, and Molchanov already had one depth record and multiple world championships to his name. He had also started manufacturing free-diving gear under the Molchanovs brand. But with his mother gone in a tragic flash, many free divers wondered if he’d unravel. And what would become of the brand that carried her name?</p>

<p>Molchanov did not share his pain. He didn’t seek therapy or confide in anyone, including his older sister, Oksana Molchanova, which concerned her. She’s also a free diver and an instructor, but for two years after her mother’s death, she avoided the water. Molchanov dived more often and brought his mother’s free-diving curriculum across the globe. The ocean became his grief counselor.</p>

<p>“The water, free diving was the way for me to cleanse and recover,” he said. Being underwater allowed him to connect with his mother while also letting go. “It’s thinking about this connection, and it’s also about not letting the tension and all the negative emotions settle in the body.”</p>

<p>The records started piling up quickly. Two years after his mother’s death, in 2017, Molchanov won Vertical Blue, the Wimbledon of free diving, for the first time. The following year, he broke two depth records at the same competition in Dean’s Blue Hole, home training ground of his greatest rival, William Trubridge. In 2018, he broke his own Constant Weight record, by diving to 130 meters and back with a monofin, and he nabbed Trubridge’s Free Immersion world record, by pulling down a line to 125 meters and back again.</p>

<p>Most professional divers take a break from pushing their limits each winter. But Molchanov is not like most divers. So, in February 2020, he found his latest challenge in ice diving and set a world record there too, covering 180 meters (591 feet) in a feat of distance, not depth, under the ice in a quarry on the outskirts of Moscow.</p>

<p>He’s not the first prominent free diver to take to the ice. In early 2019, the German champion Anna von Boetticher slipped into a hole beneath an iceberg off eastern Greenland and explored its craggy underbelly.</p>

<p>Around that same time, Ant Williams, an Australian free diver, and his team took to snowmobiles in the remote north of Norway, where they cut a hole and dropped a line in a deep lake. Williams swam to 70 meters (230 feet) and back to claim his first world record: the record Molchanov aimed to break last week.</p>

<p>“Free divers like exploring their physical and mental limits,” von Boetticher said. “We like challenging ourselves. We are full of curiosity in what we can do, what else we can experience, and cold water is a very intense experience.”</p>

<p>On March 16, Molchanov felt heavy as he kicked back toward fresh air. The drag of the thick wetsuit limited his flexibility and made it harder to execute a fluid dolphin kick. “It took more work to go up,” he said. That triggered an animalistic impulse to kick harder, but he knew any extra effort would come at an oxygen expense he couldn’t afford. “My focus was not to accelerate. I was trying to preserve oxygen. Not start burning it faster.”</p>

<p>He kicked with calm force as he swam past a technical diver at 45 meters (148 feet). When he reached 30 meters (98 feet) he met his first safety diver, followed by another at 20 and a third at 10. The safety divers monitored Molchanov’s eyes and his form: If he slowed or lost motor control or consciousness, it was their job to swim him to the surface where an ambulance was waiting on the ice.</p>

<p>With buoyancy back on his side, he floated to the surface after a dive of 2 minutes, 53 seconds. He’s used to much longer and deeper dives, but when Molchanov grabbed the line, he felt spent and breathed heavily as he flashed the tag from the bottom plate, removed his mask and presented an OK sign to the judge, who in turn offered a white card — confirming a successful dive and Molchanov’s 20th world record.</p>

<p>As usual, Molchanov didn’t cause a fuss. The deepest diver in the history of free diving had done it again.</p>


When the champion free diver and multiple world-record holder Alexey Molchanov stepped onto the streaked ice on Lake Baikal in southern Siberia on March 16, the sky was cobalt blue.

When the champion free diver and multiple world-record holder Alexey Molchanov stepped onto the streaked ice on Lake Baikal in southern Siberia on March 16, the sky was cobalt blue. The sun illuminated the surrounding mountains; the wind was light and the air a balmy 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 Celsius). It was the perfect day for a swim. But this wasn’t the typical polar-bear plunge. Molchanov, 34, hoped to swim 80 meters, or approximately 262 feet, beneath the meter-thick icy surface and back up on a single breath. In the process, he would break yet another world record. Dressed in a thick, blue wetsuit and gloves, he slid into a monofin then slipped into a 3-foot-square cut in the ice, where he clipped onto a thin rope that disappeared into the inky water. He deployed a technique that his mother, Natalia Molchanova (the most decorated free diver of all time), first developed and taught, and Molchanov has taken worldwide. She called it deconcentration. Instead of taking in the scene, he detached from it, both visually and psychologically. He focused on taking long, deep, rhythmic breaths until his heart rate slowed and he entered a meditative state. Then he sipped the air through pursed lips until his lungs were fully inflated, from his diaphragm to the tiny air pockets between and behind his shoulder blades. Finally, he ducked below the surface and disappeared. Nearly 100 spectators and a throng of Russian news media waited on the surface above him. This dive was more difficult than most. His wetsuit was seven times thicker than normal, which made it more challenging to kick against the positive buoyancy found in the first 10 meters (33 feet) of depth. All that effort demanded he tap into his finite supply of oxygen. To keep warm, he wore a mask, something he typically avoids on deep dives, which meant he had to hold his nose between his thumb and forefinger to equalize instead of relying on a nose clip. Plus, cold water makes equalization of the sinuses, when a diver funnels air into the sinuses to keep them pressurized to prevent head pain and injuries such as burst eardrums, extremely challenging. Within 20 seconds, he had reached 20 meters (66 feet) and puffed his cheeks out to create a vacuum for the remaining air in his lungs to fill. On typical dives, he stores this “mouth-fill” and uses it to equalize without having to worry about leaks. But in water that was 1 to 2 degrees Celsius, his lips numbed quickly, and he had to clamp them shut with his fingers, his thumb and forefinger on his nose, his middle and ring fingers on his lips. On the slow drop toward 80 meters, the sound of crackling ice rippled through the water, the barometric pressure cranked up, and it was painfully cold. His job was to accept it all and remain relaxed no matter how awful it felt or what happened next. He arrived at the illuminated bottom plate, grabbed a black tag and, with an ever-dwindling oxygen supply, dolphin-kicked back toward the hole in the ice. For the past four years, Molchanov has been the undisputed best all-around free diver in the world. He came of age traveling the world, from competition to competition, with his mother, who set 41 world records and won 23 world championship titles, despite not discovering the sport until after she divorced at 39 years old. She never sought sponsorship and supported her family by teaching the sport she loved. By the time she disappeared while free diving near Ibiza in 2015, her curriculum was being taught across Russia and Eastern Europe, and Molchanov already had one depth record and multiple world championships to his name. He had also started manufacturing free-diving gear under the Molchanovs brand. But with his mother gone in a tragic flash, many free divers wondered if he’d unravel. And what would become of the brand that carried her name? Molchanov did not share his pain. He didn’t seek therapy or confide in anyone, including his older sister, Oksana Molchanova, which concerned her. She’s also a free diver and an instructor, but for two years after her mother’s death, she avoided the water. Molchanov dived more often and brought his mother’s free-diving curriculum across the globe. The ocean became his grief counselor. “The water, free diving was the way for me to cleanse and recover,” he said. Being underwater allowed him to connect with his mother while also letting go. “It’s thinking about this connection, and it’s also about not letting the tension and all the negative emotions settle in the body.” The records started piling up quickly. Two years after his mother’s death, in 2017, Molchanov won Vertical Blue, the Wimbledon of free diving, for the first time. The following year, he broke two depth records at the same competition in Dean’s Blue Hole, home training ground of his greatest rival, William Trubridge. In 2018, he broke his own Constant Weight record, by diving to 130 meters and back with a monofin, and he nabbed Trubridge’s Free Immersion world record, by pulling down a line to 125 meters and back again. Most professional divers take a break from pushing their limits each winter. But Molchanov is not like most divers. So, in February 2020, he found his latest challenge in ice diving and set a world record there too, covering 180 meters (591 feet) in a feat of distance, not depth, under the ice in a quarry on the outskirts of Moscow. He’s not the first prominent free diver to take to the ice. In early 2019, the German champion Anna von Boetticher slipped into a hole beneath an iceberg off eastern Greenland and explored its craggy underbelly. Around that same time, Ant Williams, an Australian free diver, and his team took to snowmobiles in the remote north of Norway, where they cut a hole and dropped a line in a deep lake. Williams swam to 70 meters (230 feet) and back to claim his first world record: the record Molchanov aimed to break last week. “Free divers like exploring their physical and mental limits,” von Boetticher said. “We like challenging ourselves. We are full of curiosity in what we can do, what else we can experience, and cold water is a very intense experience.” On March 16, Molchanov felt heavy as he kicked back toward fresh air. The drag of the thick wetsuit limited his flexibility and made it harder to execute a fluid dolphin kick. “It took more work to go up,” he said. That triggered an animalistic impulse to kick harder, but he knew any extra effort would come at an oxygen expense he couldn’t afford. “My focus was not to accelerate. I was trying to preserve oxygen. Not start burning it faster.” He kicked with calm force as he swam past a technical diver at 45 meters (148 feet). When he reached 30 meters (98 feet) he met his first safety diver, followed by another at 20 and a third at 10. The safety divers monitored Molchanov’s eyes and his form: If he slowed or lost motor control or consciousness, it was their job to swim him to the surface where an ambulance was waiting on the ice. With buoyancy back on his side, he floated to the surface after a dive of 2 minutes, 53 seconds. He’s used to much longer and deeper dives, but when Molchanov grabbed the line, he felt spent and breathed heavily as he flashed the tag from the bottom plate, removed his mask and presented an OK sign to the judge, who in turn offered a white card — confirming a successful dive and Molchanov’s 20th world record. As usual, Molchanov didn’t cause a fuss. The deepest diver in the history of free diving had done it again.

The deepest diver in the history of free diving goes below the ice

<p>Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a holiday in Siberia with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, piloted an all-terrain vehicle through thick woodland and traversed a swaying rope bridge, Kremlin footage showed. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Putin routinely appears on state television participating in various outdoor pursuits to project the image of a healthy and robust leader capable of leading the country for many years to come.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His bare-chested exploits have conjured for many Russians an image of Putin, 68, as an in-shape role model.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Video released by the Kremlin from inside an all-terrain vehicle showed the president at the wheel of a vehicle that pulled branches from overhanging trees as it barrelled over snow-laden tracks through dense forests of birch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two men were seen trudging through knee-deep snow and inspecting wooden ruins in a barren forest before taking careful steps across a rope bridge over a frozen river.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Putin, who loves to cultivate a virile man-of-action image, was shown in 2017 on holiday with Shoigu spear-fishing in a camouflage wetsuit, piloting a powerboat and catching some rays.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last year, he bestowed a 65th birthday honour on Shoigu, his loyal ally in the Syria conflict and companion on wilderness trips.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Putin sent Shoigu birthday greetings and signed a decree awarding him one of Russia's highest decorations, the 'For Merit to the Fatherland' medal in the first degree.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The PR display comes one month after Putin jailed his loudest critic Alexei Navalny in one of Russia's most infamous work colonies, a move the opposition figure's allies and Western countries said was a pretext to silence dissent.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Putin's previous made-for-TV exploits have not been without controversy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>During a 2011 dive in the Black Sea, he allegedly discovered two 15th-century amphoras, a find mocked in the independent media because they were both suspiciously without algae or other sea life. His spokesman later admitted that the scene had been staged.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</p>


Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a holiday in Siberia with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, piloted an all-terrain vehicle through thick woodland and traversed a swaying rope bridge, Kremlin footage showed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, during a holiday in Siberia with Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, piloted an all-terrain vehicle through thick woodland and traversed a swaying rope bridge, Kremlin footage showed. Putin routinely appears on state television participating in various outdoor pursuits to project the image of a healthy and robust leader capable of leading the country for many years to come. His bare-chested exploits have conjured for many Russians an image of Putin, 68, as an in-shape role model. Video released by the Kremlin from inside an all-terrain vehicle showed the president at the wheel of a vehicle that pulled branches from overhanging trees as it barrelled over snow-laden tracks through dense forests of birch. The two men were seen trudging through knee-deep snow and inspecting wooden ruins in a barren forest before taking careful steps across a rope bridge over a frozen river. Putin, who loves to cultivate a virile man-of-action image, was shown in 2017 on holiday with Shoigu spear-fishing in a camouflage wetsuit, piloting a powerboat and catching some rays. Last year, he bestowed a 65th birthday honour on Shoigu, his loyal ally in the Syria conflict and companion on wilderness trips. Putin sent Shoigu birthday greetings and signed a decree awarding him one of Russia's highest decorations, the 'For Merit to the Fatherland' medal in the first degree. The PR display comes one month after Putin jailed his loudest critic Alexei Navalny in one of Russia's most infamous work colonies, a move the opposition figure's allies and Western countries said was a pretext to silence dissent. Putin's previous made-for-TV exploits have not been without controversy. During a 2011 dive in the Black Sea, he allegedly discovered two 15th-century amphoras, a find mocked in the independent media because they were both suspiciously without algae or other sea life. His spokesman later admitted that the scene had been staged. (With inputs from agencies)

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For almost two decades scientists have teamed up with divers for a bone hunt on the outskirts of the town of Kurgan, Russia. The search takes place three metres under water as the air temperatures drop to minus 20-25 degrees Celsius. The area used to be covered by the West Siberian Glacial Lake formed approximately 80,000 years ago. It explains why teeth and bones of ancient fish are among divers' usual findings. Divers also discover bones and skulls of ancients bulls, horses and lions as well as tools which were likely used by early humans.

Hunt for ancient bones in frozen river; Russian divers search at minus 20-25 degrees Celsius

<p>A video of a group of people wearing their swimwear and partying in the Siberian city of Tomsk at minus&nbsp;39 Celsius has gone viral.</p>

<p>The party hosted by a group of Siberian men who could not wait for the summer, garnered a lot of attention on social media where some praised the youngsters for their bravery while others criticised them for their stupidity and callousness.</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJR6jTfnLRZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Строев Илья (@stroev_ilya70)</a></p>
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<p>A video of the icy gathering was shared on the Facebook-owned social networking platform Instagram, featuring&nbsp;more than a dozen people in bikinis and colorful swim shorts dancing on a snow-covered central square in front of a decorated New Year's tree.</p>

<p>The fume coming from the revelers' mouths clarified that it was quite cold outside. The temperature in Tomsk at the hour of the shoot really dropped to walloping short 39 Celsius, as per a telephone highlighted in the recording.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The gig was planned to check the birthday of one of the members, who had purposely trusted that an especially cool day will make the chilly clip.</p>

<p>"The weather did its thing and gave us a record minus [temperature] for my idea," he wrote.</p>

<p>It's unclear&nbsp;whether any of the members in the video, which closed with the motto "Hang tight, individuals, summer's practically around the bend," required clinical consideration after the shoot. Yet, their accomplishment plainly dazzled watchers, with one analyst depicting it as "hot and cool, simultaneously."&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another composed that the individuals in the video were "simply insane," while some lamented that they hadn't been welcomed.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Tomsk local people likewise affirmed that the clip was not a hoax, and that it had been recorded on a totally freezing day.</p>


A video of a group of people wearing their swimwear and partying in the Siberian city of Tomsk at minus 39 Celsius has gone viral. The party hosted by a group of Siberian men who could not wait for the summer, garnered a lot of attention on social media where some praised the youngsters for their bravery while others criticised them for their stupidity and callousness.

A video of a group of people wearing their swimwear and partying in the Siberian city of Tomsk at minus 39 Celsius has gone viral. The party hosted by a group of Siberian men who could not wait for the summer, garnered a lot of attention on social media where some praised the youngsters for their bravery while others criticised them for their stupidity and callousness. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Строев Илья (@stroev_ilya70) A video of the icy gathering was shared on the Facebook-owned social networking platform Instagram, featuring more than a dozen people in bikinis and colorful swim shorts dancing on a snow-covered central square in front of a decorated New Year's tree. The fume coming from the revelers' mouths clarified that it was quite cold outside. The temperature in Tomsk at the hour of the shoot really dropped to walloping short 39 Celsius, as per a telephone highlighted in the recording. The gig was planned to check the birthday of one of the members, who had purposely trusted that an especially cool day will make the chilly clip. "The weather did its thing and gave us a record minus [temperature] for my idea," he wrote. It's unclear whether any of the members in the video, which closed with the motto "Hang tight, individuals, summer's practically around the bend," required clinical consideration after the shoot. Yet, their accomplishment plainly dazzled watchers, with one analyst depicting it as "hot and cool, simultaneously." Another composed that the individuals in the video were "simply insane," while some lamented that they hadn't been welcomed. Tomsk local people likewise affirmed that the clip was not a hoax, and that it had been recorded on a totally freezing day.

Watch: Siberian bikini party at minus 39 Celsius

<p>It has been almost a year since the coronavirus pandemic took over the world and affected millions of lives around the globe. While the world is getting used to the new normal now and hoping for a coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible, Russian scientists have discovered another version of the virus.</p>

<p>A Russian consumer health watchdog has recently observed mutations in the coronavirus in Siberia.&nbsp;“We see certain changes...in Siberia which allow us to assume that in this region it is forming its own version with specific mutations,” Anna Popova, head of Rospotrebnadzor, was quoted as saying by news agencies.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/human-to-human-transmission-of-rare-chapare-virus-in-bolivia-confirmed-by-scientists-343728">Human-to-human transmission of rare 'Chapare virus' in Bolivia confirmed by scientists</a></strong></p>

<p>However, the scientists have not yet released details about this mutation and the new version of the novel coronavirus. As of now, it is not clear how contagious or deadly the mutation is considered to be. Although, it is being believed that this mutation will not make the virus more dangerous.&nbsp;Mutations of the coronavirus could not influence the vaccine’s effectiveness, the Vector Institute’s director general, Rinat Maksyutov, was quoted as saying by TASS.</p>

<p>This claim has come a few months after a US study had found very little evidence of mutations in this virus could make it deadlier. The report had claimed, in September, that the disease caused by the <strong>coronavirus</strong> was linked to the patients' existing medical conditions.</p>

<p><strong>Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mouthwash-can-kill-coronavirus-within-30-seconds-study-343609">Mouthwash can kill coronavirus within 30 seconds: Study</a></strong></p>

<p>The new report, released on Tuesday, has come at a time when Russia has started the final phase of testing of the COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, which is being hailed as world's first coronavirus vaccine. Countries such as India have started the Phase 2 human trials, while a few others have started the Phase 3 trial on human beings.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Russia is struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The European country recorded nearly 442 deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday. People have been advised to stay home as much as they can and only step out in case of emergencies with proper precautions.</p>


It has been almost a year since the coronavirus pandemic took over the world and affected millions of lives around the globe. While the world is getting used to the new normal now and hoping for a coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible, Russian scientists have discovered another version of the virus.

It has been almost a year since the coronavirus pandemic took over the world and affected millions of lives around the globe. While the world is getting used to the new normal now and hoping for a coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible, Russian scientists have discovered another version of the virus. A Russian consumer health watchdog has recently observed mutations in the coronavirus in Siberia. “We see certain changes...in Siberia which allow us to assume that in this region it is forming its own version with specific mutations,” Anna Popova, head of Rospotrebnadzor, was quoted as saying by news agencies. Also read| Human-to-human transmission of rare 'Chapare virus' in Bolivia confirmed by scientists However, the scientists have not yet released details about this mutation and the new version of the novel coronavirus. As of now, it is not clear how contagious or deadly the mutation is considered to be. Although, it is being believed that this mutation will not make the virus more dangerous. Mutations of the coronavirus could not influence the vaccine’s effectiveness, the Vector Institute’s director general, Rinat Maksyutov, was quoted as saying by TASS. This claim has come a few months after a US study had found very little evidence of mutations in this virus could make it deadlier. The report had claimed, in September, that the disease caused by the coronavirus was linked to the patients' existing medical conditions. Also read| Mouthwash can kill coronavirus within 30 seconds: Study The new report, released on Tuesday, has come at a time when Russia has started the final phase of testing of the COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V, which is being hailed as world's first coronavirus vaccine. Countries such as India have started the Phase 2 human trials, while a few others have started the Phase 3 trial on human beings. Meanwhile, Russia is struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus. The European country recorded nearly 442 deaths from COVID-19 on Tuesday. People have been advised to stay home as much as they can and only step out in case of emergencies with proper precautions.

Coronavirus mutations appearing in Siberia: Russian scientists

<p>A student in Siberia is being forced to do the unthinkable to attend online classes. On usual days, Alexei Dudoladov climbs up a tree to get internet access in order to successfully attend his classes.</p>

<p>His climbs up a birch tree in the remote Siberian village every time he requires internet, Reuters reported.</p>

<p>The 21-year-old Alexei Dudoladov is a popular blogger and studies at the Omsk Institute of Water Transport, which is 2,225 kilometres east of Moscow. The student has pleaded with authorities for better internet coverage while sitting atop the snow-covered birch tree.</p>

<p><img alt="Alexei Dudoladov, student and popular blogger, is seen on a birch tree for better cellular network coverage in his remote Siberian village of Stankevichi, Russia November 13, 2020. Picture taken November 13, 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="737271fc-0144-4fa0-b794-fe2e1593b247" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design_138.jpg" /></p>

<h6><em>Alexei Dudoladov, student and popular blogger, is seen on a birch tree for better cellular network coverage in his remote Siberian village of Stankevichi, Russia November 13, 2020. Picture taken November 13, 2020 | Reuters</em></h6>

<p>This plea has gone viral on TikTok, where it has gained over 1.9 million views. On Instagram, it has been seen over 56,000 times over the last week.</p>

<p>In his plea, Dudoladov told regional governor Alexander Burkov that his home internet lacks strength, forcing him to go to such extreme ends.</p>

<p>"I need to go into the forest 300 metres from the village and climb a birch tree that is eight-metres high... and I get on Zoom to speak to professors and prove that I am not skipping class for no reason," he told Reuters.</p>

<p>To counter the surge in COVID-19, Russian authorities have moved university classes online.</p>

<p>Over 80 per cent Russians regularly access and use the internet, but internet coverage in many far off places is rather non-existent.</p>

<p><img alt="v" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f4138023-0381-4e06-83ff-419195e680e4" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29_115.jpg" /></p>

<h6><em>Alexei Dudoladov, student and popular blogger, checks his phone as he walks in a remote Siberian village of Stankevichi, Russia November 13, 2020&nbsp;| Reuters</em></h6>

<p>According to RBC business daily, the Omsk region’s education ministry is preparing an individualised study plan for him, enabling him to study in Stankevichi.</p>

<p>Dudoladov claims he is dissatisfied with the reaction of authorities, and that officials had urged to find a stronger internet connection by the highway.</p>

<p>"I was put on an individual study plan, but do they (authorities) not care about other students from other universities," he on Instagram post on Monday.</p>

<p>"Why can people from the city use the internet in their apartments while villagers can only do so from highways, rooftops and trees”, he added.</p>


A student in Siberia is being forced to do the unthinkable to attend online classes. On usual days, Alexei Dudoladov climbs up a tree to get internet access in order to successfully attend his classes.

A student in Siberia is being forced to do the unthinkable to attend online classes. On usual days, Alexei Dudoladov climbs up a tree to get internet access in order to successfully attend his classes. His climbs up a birch tree in the remote Siberian village every time he requires internet, Reuters reported. The 21-year-old Alexei Dudoladov is a popular blogger and studies at the Omsk Institute of Water Transport, which is 2,225 kilometres east of Moscow. The student has pleaded with authorities for better internet coverage while sitting atop the snow-covered birch tree. Alexei Dudoladov, student and popular blogger, is seen on a birch tree for better cellular network coverage in his remote Siberian village of Stankevichi, Russia November 13, 2020. Picture taken November 13, 2020 | Reuters This plea has gone viral on TikTok, where it has gained over 1.9 million views. On Instagram, it has been seen over 56,000 times over the last week. In his plea, Dudoladov told regional governor Alexander Burkov that his home internet lacks strength, forcing him to go to such extreme ends. "I need to go into the forest 300 metres from the village and climb a birch tree that is eight-metres high... and I get on Zoom to speak to professors and prove that I am not skipping class for no reason," he told Reuters. To counter the surge in COVID-19, Russian authorities have moved university classes online. Over 80 per cent Russians regularly access and use the internet, but internet coverage in many far off places is rather non-existent. Alexei Dudoladov, student and popular blogger, checks his phone as he walks in a remote Siberian village of Stankevichi, Russia November 13, 2020 | Reuters According to RBC business daily, the Omsk region’s education ministry is preparing an individualised study plan for him, enabling him to study in Stankevichi. Dudoladov claims he is dissatisfied with the reaction of authorities, and that officials had urged to find a stronger internet connection by the highway. "I was put on an individual study plan, but do they (authorities) not care about other students from other universities," he on Instagram post on Monday. "Why can people from the city use the internet in their apartments while villagers can only do so from highways, rooftops and trees”, he added.

Russian student forced to go to 'great heights' to attend online classes - literally!

<p>In what can be described as a miraculous discovery,&nbsp;Russian scientists have discovered a 39,000-year-old perfectly preserved cave bear and cub in Siberia.</p>

<p>Cave bears were&nbsp;prehistoric species or subspecies that lived in Eurasia from around 300,000 to 15,000 years ago. Up until now, only bones had been found of the bears.</p>

<p>However, now, the cave bear's remains that have been found has all its internal organs intact. Earlier, only bones and skull were found. The photographs also show the bear's nose and teeth are intact.</p>

<p>The discovery has been applauded by the experts and is being considered as a huge step towards Russian scientists' mission of rediscovering and bringing back the extinct species of the Ice Age.</p>

<p>"Today this is the first and only find of its kind — a whole bear carcass with soft tissues,"&nbsp;Scientist Dr Lena Grigorieva told the media.</p>

<p>The remains, which were found by reindeer herders on a remote island, will be analysed by expert scientists at the&nbsp;Russia's North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU) in Yakutsk. The researchers at NEFU are leading the research of bringing back the extinct species of woolly mammoths and rhinos.</p>

<p>Scietists from all over the world will be invited to take part in this research, with NEFu holding the lead role.&nbsp;"It is necessary to carry out radiocarbon analysis to determine the precise age of the bear," said Dr Maxim Cheprasov, senior researcher, candidate of biological sciences at the Mammoth Museum laboratory in Yakutsk.</p>

<p>The city of&nbsp;Yakutsk is believed to be the coldest city in the world.</p>

<p>Researchers will be releasing more investigation about this remarkable discovery soon.</p>


In what can be described as a miraculous discovery, Russian scientists have discovered a 39,000-year-old perfectly preserved cave bear and cub in Siberia. Cave bears were prehistoric species or subspecies that lived in Eurasia from around 300,000 to 15,000 years ago.

In what can be described as a miraculous discovery, Russian scientists have discovered a 39,000-year-old perfectly preserved cave bear and cub in Siberia. Cave bears were prehistoric species or subspecies that lived in Eurasia from around 300,000 to 15,000 years ago. Up until now, only bones had been found of the bears. However, now, the cave bear's remains that have been found has all its internal organs intact. Earlier, only bones and skull were found. The photographs also show the bear's nose and teeth are intact. The discovery has been applauded by the experts and is being considered as a huge step towards Russian scientists' mission of rediscovering and bringing back the extinct species of the Ice Age. "Today this is the first and only find of its kind — a whole bear carcass with soft tissues," Scientist Dr Lena Grigorieva told the media. The remains, which were found by reindeer herders on a remote island, will be analysed by expert scientists at the Russia's North-Eastern Federal University (NEFU) in Yakutsk. The researchers at NEFU are leading the research of bringing back the extinct species of woolly mammoths and rhinos. Scietists from all over the world will be invited to take part in this research, with NEFu holding the lead role. "It is necessary to carry out radiocarbon analysis to determine the precise age of the bear," said Dr Maxim Cheprasov, senior researcher, candidate of biological sciences at the Mammoth Museum laboratory in Yakutsk. The city of Yakutsk is believed to be the coldest city in the world. Researchers will be releasing more investigation about this remarkable discovery soon.

Russia: 39,000-year-old cave bear's remains found intact in Siberia

<p>A well-preserved skeleton of a woolly mammoth, which has some ligaments still attached to it, has been recovered from a lake in northern Siberia. Russian scientists are now working to retrieve it.</p>

<p>The animal's skull, the lower jaw, several ribs, and a foot fragment with sinews still intact were found by local reindeer herders in the shallows of Pechevalavato Lake on the Yamalo-Nenets region a few days ago.</p>

<p>Woolly mammoths are thought to have died out around 10,000 years ago. A small group, however, thinks some of them may have lived on longer in Alaska and on Russia’s Wrangel Island off the Siberian coast.</p>

<p>Scientists have retrieved more bones and also located more massive fragments protruding from the silt. They said it would take significant time and special equipment to recover the rest of the skeleton.</p>

<p>Siberia is, meanwhile, undergoing a heat wave and the UN weather agency warned Friday that average temperatures were 10 degrees Celsius (18 Fahrenheit) above average last month.</p>


A well-preserved skeleton of a woolly mammoth, which has some ligaments still attached to it, has been recovered from a lake in northern Siberia. Russian scientists are now working to retrieve it.

A well-preserved skeleton of a woolly mammoth, which has some ligaments still attached to it, has been recovered from a lake in northern Siberia. Russian scientists are now working to retrieve it. The animal's skull, the lower jaw, several ribs, and a foot fragment with sinews still intact were found by local reindeer herders in the shallows of Pechevalavato Lake on the Yamalo-Nenets region a few days ago. Woolly mammoths are thought to have died out around 10,000 years ago. A small group, however, thinks some of them may have lived on longer in Alaska and on Russia’s Wrangel Island off the Siberian coast. Scientists have retrieved more bones and also located more massive fragments protruding from the silt. They said it would take significant time and special equipment to recover the rest of the skeleton. Siberia is, meanwhile, undergoing a heat wave and the UN weather agency warned Friday that average temperatures were 10 degrees Celsius (18 Fahrenheit) above average last month.

Well-preserved skeleton of woolly mammoth found in Siberian lake

States of emergency have been declared in the regions of Krasnoyarsk and Yakutia, and in parts of several other Russian regions.

Siberia: Wildfires causing release of more Greenhouse Gases

The Arctic has transformed into an oven, the heatwaves have sparked hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. Watch this video to know more.

Siberia: Forest fire spreads in Arctic region due to heatwave

<p>The Arctic has transformed into an oven. Heatwaves have sparked hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. Millions of hectares of forest is up in flames. It's been a record-setting summer.&nbsp;Scientists say it could get worse. The chilly Arctic breeze could be snuffed out soon if nothing is done about global warming.</p>

<p>Forests in the arctic region are up in flames. They are burning with great intensity. The smoke has reached the west coast of the United States. In Siberia, close to three million hectares of forest is on fire. Since January 2020, more than four million hectare of forest has already gone up in flames. The heatwave has reduced the expansive Boreal forests into a bone dry patch of land.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-the-arctic-turns-into-an-oven-313552/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Scientists believe the recurring heatwaves will continue to spawn wildfires.</p>

<p>"We are monitoring the clouds and when we find enough clouds over a wildfire - the plane immediately takes off. Today, we are going to work over two or three wildfires. This method makes fire isolation, fire extinguishing in remote areas much easier for firefighters working on the ground. Their job becomes significantly easier."</p>

<p>Satellite images show that much of the Russian Arctic is in the red.</p>

<p>The problem of wildfires is closely linked to climate change.</p>

<p>Climate scientists say the Siberian heatwave is a warning cry from the Arctic.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


The Arctic has transformed into an oven. Heatwaves have sparked hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. Millions of hectares of forest is up in flames. It's been a record-setting summer.

The Arctic has transformed into an oven. Heatwaves have sparked hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. Millions of hectares of forest is up in flames. It's been a record-setting summer. Scientists say it could get worse. The chilly Arctic breeze could be snuffed out soon if nothing is done about global warming. Forests in the arctic region are up in flames. They are burning with great intensity. The smoke has reached the west coast of the United States. In Siberia, close to three million hectares of forest is on fire. Since January 2020, more than four million hectare of forest has already gone up in flames. The heatwave has reduced the expansive Boreal forests into a bone dry patch of land. Scientists believe the recurring heatwaves will continue to spawn wildfires. "We are monitoring the clouds and when we find enough clouds over a wildfire - the plane immediately takes off. Today, we are going to work over two or three wildfires. This method makes fire isolation, fire extinguishing in remote areas much easier for firefighters working on the ground. Their job becomes significantly easier." Satellite images show that much of the Russian Arctic is in the red. The problem of wildfires is closely linked to climate change. Climate scientists say the Siberian heatwave is a warning cry from the Arctic.

Record-breaking Arctic heat leaves Siberia 'red-faced'

Heatwaves have sparked hundreds of wildfires in Siberia. The chilly Arctic breeze has been snuffed out this summer. Global warming is melting the Arctic ice and burning its forests

Gravitas: The Arctic Turns Into An Oven

<p>Russian firefighters have been seeding clouds to bring down rain over wildfires raging in Siberia, the authorities said on Friday.</p>

<p>The Russian forestry agency said active work was underway to battle 158 forest fires covering 46,261 hectares as of Friday. Just a few days ago, that area was more than three times larger.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-bounties-top-us-general-vows-response-if-intel-confirmed-312273">Russian bounties: Top US general vows 'response' if intel confirmed</a></strong></p>

<p>Firefighters were using planes to fire chemicals into the clouds above fires in northern, remote parts of the Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk regions of Siberia, the agency said.</p>

<p>Sweltering heat and dry weather have helped wildfires spread across the region and into the boreal forest and tundra that blanket northern Russia.</p>

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<p>Environmental group Greenpeace, which monitors the spread of wildfires in Russia, confirmed that rain has helped reduce fires in northern Siberia but that others had appeared in the south near the big regional cities of Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk.</p>

<p>Greenpeace said that 4.62 million hectares of forest had burned across Russia since the start of the year.</p>

<p>States of emergency have been declared in the regions of Krasnoyarsk and Yakutia, and in parts of several other Russian regions.</p>

<p>Scientists say they expect record-breaking temperatures in Siberia - which reached as high as 38 Celsius (more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit) last month, according to reports - will continue to spawn wildfires and cause more greenhouse gases to be released into the air.</p>

<p>Copernicus, the EU's earth observation programme, said that temperatures in Arctic Siberia had soared to a record average for June, more than 5 degrees Celsius (9°F) above normal.</p>


Russian firefighters have been seeding clouds to bring down rain over wildfires raging in Siberia, the authorities said on Friday. The Russian forestry agency said active work was underway to battle 158 forest fires covering 46,261 hectares as of Friday.

Russian firefighters have been seeding clouds to bring down rain over wildfires raging in Siberia, the authorities said on Friday. The Russian forestry agency said active work was underway to battle 158 forest fires covering 46,261 hectares as of Friday. Just a few days ago, that area was more than three times larger. Also read: Russian bounties: Top US general vows 'response' if intel confirmed Firefighters were using planes to fire chemicals into the clouds above fires in northern, remote parts of the Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk regions of Siberia, the agency said. Sweltering heat and dry weather have helped wildfires spread across the region and into the boreal forest and tundra that blanket northern Russia. Environmental group Greenpeace, which monitors the spread of wildfires in Russia, confirmed that rain has helped reduce fires in northern Siberia but that others had appeared in the south near the big regional cities of Irkutsk and Krasnoyarsk. Greenpeace said that 4.62 million hectares of forest had burned across Russia since the start of the year. States of emergency have been declared in the regions of Krasnoyarsk and Yakutia, and in parts of several other Russian regions. Scientists say they expect record-breaking temperatures in Siberia - which reached as high as 38 Celsius (more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit) last month, according to reports - will continue to spawn wildfires and cause more greenhouse gases to be released into the air. Copernicus, the EU's earth observation programme, said that temperatures in Arctic Siberia had soared to a record average for June, more than 5 degrees Celsius (9°F) above normal.

Russia seeds clouds in Siberia to douse raging wildfires

Temperatures in Arctic Siberia soared to a record average for June amid a heatwave that is stoking some of the worst wildfires the region has ever known

Siberian Arctic average temperature increased by 5 degree celsius

Eastern Siberia is known for the cold wintertime temperatures but this year the region has witnessed wildly high temperatures and fires. Watch report.

Your Story: Siberia battles wildfires and heatwaves, Satellite images show clouds of smoke

A north-eastern Siberian town looks to have set a record for the highest temperature ever documented in the Arctic Circle. Siberia is a region of Russia that lies above 66 half North hemisphere on Earth.

Siberia's Verkhoyansk town records highest-ever temperature

<p>It has been the hottest May for Siberia since records began in 1979. And that's making climate change scientists worried. They say it's an alarming sign.</p>

<p>Surface temperatures in Siberia were up to 10 degrees Celsius higher than average last month. Siberia's warmer weather came as the world experienced its hottest May on record, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) findings show.</p>

<p>In Siberia, it wasn't just May that was warmer than usual -- the region experienced periods of higher-than-average surface air temperatures throughout winter and spring, with warmer temperatures particularly from January, C3S found.</p>

<p>According to C3S, it's unusual to see warmer-than-average temperatures for so many months in a row.</p>

<p>Scientists say the Arctic region is warming, on average, twice as quickly as the rest of the planet as a consequence of global warming.</p>


It has been the hottest May for Siberia since records began in 1979. And that's making climate change scientists worried. They say it's an alarming sign. Surface temperatures in Siberia were up to 10 degrees Celsius higher than average last month.

It has been the hottest May for Siberia since records began in 1979. And that's making climate change scientists worried. They say it's an alarming sign. Surface temperatures in Siberia were up to 10 degrees Celsius higher than average last month. Siberia's warmer weather came as the world experienced its hottest May on record, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) findings show. In Siberia, it wasn't just May that was warmer than usual -- the region experienced periods of higher-than-average surface air temperatures throughout winter and spring, with warmer temperatures particularly from January, C3S found. According to C3S, it's unusual to see warmer-than-average temperatures for so many months in a row. Scientists say the Arctic region is warming, on average, twice as quickly as the rest of the planet as a consequence of global warming.

Siberia's prolonged unusually warm weather is an 'alarming sign', scientist says

Waterways near Russia's Siberian city of Norilsk have been rapidly polluted by a spill of more than 20,000 tonnes of diesel fuel in recent days. Watch report.

WION Fineprint: Siberia oil spill, 21,000 tonnes of diesel leeks in Siberia

Russian officials are struggling to clean up an oil spill in a region in northern Siberia after an oil leak that began at the end of May was found to have released over 21,000 tons of diesel into the Arctic Ocean. Watch report.

Clean up efforts in Siberia continue: 20,000 tons of diesel spilled

<p>A 46,000-year-old frozen bird has been discovered in north-eastern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/when-siberia-shivers-its-time-to-fix-ships-in-the-ice-197167">Siberia</a>.</p>

<p>The scientists have identified the specimen as a horned lark (eremophila alpestris)&nbsp; after its radiocarbon dating according to a paper published Friday in the journal Communications Biology.</p>

<p>The bird was buried and frozen in permafrost near the village of Belaya Gora in north-eastern <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/when-siberia-shivers-its-time-to-fix-ships-in-the-ice-197167">Siberia</a>.</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/when-siberia-shivers-its-time-to-fix-ships-in-the-ice-197167">When Siberia shivers it's time to fix ships in the ice</a></strong></p>

<p>It was discovered by local fossil ivory hunters, who passed it on to a team of experts&nbsp;for testing.</p>

<p>These experts included Nicolas Dussex and Love Dalen from the Swedish Museum of Natural History.</p>

<p>According to Dalen, ''the bird may be an ancestor to two subspecies of lark alive today, one in northern Russia and the other on the Mongolian steppe''.</p>

<p>"This finding implies that the climatic changes that took place at the end of the last Ice Age led to formation of new subspecies," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Watch: Siberia's warm weather wakes sleepy badgers and Rambo</strong></p>

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<p>The specimen is in extraordinarily good condition as per Dussex.</p>

<p>"The fact that such a small and fragile specimen was near intact also suggests that dirt must have been deposited gradually, or at least that the ground was relatively stable so that the bird's carcass was preserved in a state very close to its time of death," he said.</p>

<p>In the next stage of research, the bird's entire genome will be sequenced which will reveal more about its relationship to present day subspecies and estimate the rate of evolutionary change in larks.</p>

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A 46,000-year-old frozen bird has been discovered in north-eastern Siberia. The scientists have identified the specimen as a horned lark (eremophila alpestris) after its radiocarbon dating according to a paper published Friday in the journal Communications Biology.

A 46,000-year-old frozen bird has been discovered in north-eastern Siberia. The scientists have identified the specimen as a horned lark (eremophila alpestris) after its radiocarbon dating according to a paper published Friday in the journal Communications Biology. The bird was buried and frozen in permafrost near the village of Belaya Gora in north-eastern Siberia. Also read: When Siberia shivers it's time to fix ships in the ice It was discovered by local fossil ivory hunters, who passed it on to a team of experts for testing. These experts included Nicolas Dussex and Love Dalen from the Swedish Museum of Natural History. According to Dalen, ''the bird may be an ancestor to two subspecies of lark alive today, one in northern Russia and the other on the Mongolian steppe''. "This finding implies that the climatic changes that took place at the end of the last Ice Age led to formation of new subspecies," he added. Watch: Siberia's warm weather wakes sleepy badgers and Rambo The specimen is in extraordinarily good condition as per Dussex. "The fact that such a small and fragile specimen was near intact also suggests that dirt must have been deposited gradually, or at least that the ground was relatively stable so that the bird's carcass was preserved in a state very close to its time of death," he said. In the next stage of research, the bird's entire genome will be sequenced which will reveal more about its relationship to present day subspecies and estimate the rate of evolutionary change in larks.

46,000-year-old frozen bird discovered in Siberia

Early spring is expected in Siberian city of Irkutsk following a mild and warm winter as two young badgers woke up weeks earlier than expected, a local zoo said on Monday (February 10).

Siberia's warm weather wakes sleepy badgers and Rambo

Snow, Ice & Bone-Chilling Temperatures: America Is The New Siberia

Gravitas: United States turns into Siberia

<p>Three officials at a gold mine in Siberia where 15 people died after a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/at-least-15-killed-by-dam-collapse-at-siberian-gold-mine-256894"> dam collapsed</a> were arrested on Sunday, the Russian authorities said.</p>

<p>"The head of the gold mining company Sissim and the manager and foreman of the mining site have been arrested," the Investigative Committee, a powerful inquiry agency, said in a statement.</p>

<p>The three have been taken to Krasnoyarsk for questioning, it said.</p>

<p>In addition to the 15 deaths, six people were listed as missing on Saturday after the dam on the Seiba River burst and flooded cabins where workers were living.</p>

<p>The Investigative Committee said raids had been carried out on the company's premises.</p>

<p>"Violations committed during gold mining" were being considered as the lead cause of the accident, it said.</p>

<p>Officials said the dam had been built in breach of safety rules and claimed that the authorities were not even aware of its existence.</p>

<p>A search operation has been launched but bad weather has prevented the use of aviation, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.</p>

<p>The tragedy drew fresh attention to mining practices in Russia, which holds some of the largest gold reserves in the world.</p>

<p>It extracted nearly 300 tonnes last year, mostly by large companies.</p>

<p>Other production comes from artisanal teams involved in alluvial production, using techniques that environmentalists say badly damages river life.<br />
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Three officials at a gold mine in Siberia where 15 people died after a dam collapsed were arrested on Sunday, the Russian authorities said. "The head of the gold mining company Sissim and the manager and foreman of the mining site have been arrested," the Investigative Committee, a powerful inquiry agency, said in a statement.

Three officials at a gold mine in Siberia where 15 people died after a dam collapsed were arrested on Sunday, the Russian authorities said. "The head of the gold mining company Sissim and the manager and foreman of the mining site have been arrested," the Investigative Committee, a powerful inquiry agency, said in a statement. The three have been taken to Krasnoyarsk for questioning, it said. In addition to the 15 deaths, six people were listed as missing on Saturday after the dam on the Seiba River burst and flooded cabins where workers were living. The Investigative Committee said raids had been carried out on the company's premises. "Violations committed during gold mining" were being considered as the lead cause of the accident, it said. Officials said the dam had been built in breach of safety rules and claimed that the authorities were not even aware of its existence. A search operation has been launched but bad weather has prevented the use of aviation, the Emergency Situations Ministry said. The tragedy drew fresh attention to mining practices in Russia, which holds some of the largest gold reserves in the world. It extracted nearly 300 tonnes last year, mostly by large companies. Other production comes from artisanal teams involved in alluvial production, using techniques that environmentalists say badly damages river life.

Three arrested after dam mishap in Siberia

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