Cars always on, ten pairs of clothes and always fresh fish…

Yakutsk, the capital of the Sakha Republic in Siberia, Russia, is located on the banks of the Lena River. It is not an isolated village, but a real city with nearly 300,000 inhabitants. It is this urban normality, immersed in an extraordinary winter, that makes it unique: it is the coldest city in the world, yet life goes on, although with obvious differences compared to countries with milder climates.

In summer temperatures can exceed +29°C, but winter is extreme. The lowest ever recorded is -71°C. During the winter months, daylight hours are few, only four in January. National Geographic notes that sometimes it’s so cold that the ground can’t be dug (even for burials), planes can’t operate normally, or crops can grow.

Each outing is carefully planned, without unnecessary diversions, because the body—more than traffic or schedules—dictates timing and choices. The risk of frostbite is high. Many people wrap themselves in at least ten layers of clothing, which makes movement difficult. Cars are often kept on or covered to avoid freezing.

A typical sight of the city is the fish and meat market: the port on the Lena River supplies the city, and in winter, fish and meat freeze naturally in the open air, without the need for refrigerators. Meanwhile, fresh vegetables are rare.

Under their feet lies another challenge: permafrost. The ground is frozen forever. For this reason, many buildings are built on stilts; where they are not, they risk sinking over time, as internal heat can melt the ground beneath them. /square

Source: prizrenpost