The Mil MI-8 helicopter is the workhorse of the Russian aviation. The MI-8s were originally designed in the 1960s Soviet Russia for military use, but are now widely used to carry people and cargo all over the Russian Far East. In fact, “along with the related, more powerful Mil Mi-17, the Mi-8 is among the world’s most-produced helicopters, used by over 50 countries. As of 2015, it […]
Narrative and photography by Mihael Blikshteyn for Fishermen’s News (October 2016). Reprinted with permission. Sakhalin Island Salmon Fishery Roughly half of global Pacific salmon harvest comes from Russia. The majority of it is pink salmon, accounting for 60 to 70% of the global supply. Chum, sockeye and coho salmon each make up about 30%, according to the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership website. However, these numbers vary from
Working through unedited photos from last summer, I came across several pictures of juvenile ravens from Kamchatka. Looking at them, I was reminiscing about that trip and the circumstances of encountering the birds. A friend and I were exploring an abandoned 5-story dormitory building outside of town we were in, when we spotted a raven’s nest perched high on top of the building. The juvenile raven,
For every kid in Russia, September 1st is the official first day of school. Every year, every school. First graders, going to school for the first time in their lives, are quiet and apprehensive. Dressed up, barely bigger than their backpacks, holding bouquets of flowers for their teachers, led to schools by proud parents. Flowers in one hand, their parent’s hand in the other. Big white bows
Vladimir Smirnov We reached Plavnik just before the sunset. The remote commercial fishing camp looked like the Russian version of an intentional community. Half a dozen wooden buildings huddled together at the mouth of Langeri River, tucked away in the northeastern corner of Sakhalin Island. Well-built and maintained, the remote camp is rather an exception to the ones that dot the coastline of Sakhalin Island. Perched on the remote section