2 March 2015. Our Great Russian Motherland… Winter in the Cossack Lands

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Girls enjoy the snow and ice in the Central Park in Stavropol (Krasnodar Krai. Northern Caucasus Federal District).

BMD

9 February 2015. It’s An Old School Russian Winter

“Winter SaniDay-2015” festival sledge slide in Mitino Park in Moscow (Mitino Raion. Northwestern Administrative Okrug. Federal City of Moscow. Central Federal District) RF, in February 2015.

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Troika competing in the first round of the Moscow Winter Russian Championship in Moscow (Federal City of Moscow. Central Federal District) RF.

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Rehabilitative and educational programme “On the Way with the Huskies” in Sokolniki Park in Moscow (Sokolniki Raion. Eastern Administrative Okrug. Federal City of Moscow. Central Federal District) RF.

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Dogs at the starting line of the “In the Land of the Sampo” in Petrozavodsk (Republic of Kareliya. Northwestern Federal District) RF, on 24 January 2015.

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A couple looks at images from Siberian photographers on an ice wall, during an exhibition part of the “Magic Ice of Siberia” International Competition of Snow Sculpture along the banks of the Yenisei River in Krasnoyarsk (Krasnoyarsk Krai. Siberian Federal District) RF, in January 2015. The ice sculpting competition, which was in its third year, saw teams from Russia and China competing against each other.

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A man fishes through a hole in the ice on frozen Abakan Bay of the Yenisei River in Krasnoyarsk (Krasnoyarsk Krai. Siberian Federal District) RF.

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Ded Moroz (Grandpa Frost) at the Semenkovo Architecture and Ethnography Museum (Vologda Oblast. Northwestern Federal District RF).

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A child stands next to lit polar bear figures in Tverskoi Boulevard in central Moscow (Tverskoi Raion. Central Administrative Okrug. Federal City of Moscow. Central Federal District) RF.

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A hardcore hockey fan at a KHL regular season match between KhK SKA St Petersburg and HK Slovan Bratislava in St Petersburg (Federal City of St Petersburg. Northwestern Federal District) RF.

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Children on the Anichkov Bridge after a snowfall in St Petersburg (Federal City of St Petersburg. Northwestern Federal District) RF.

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A young “walrus” prepares for a winter swim in Veliki Novgorod (Novgorod Oblast. Northwestern Federal District) RF.

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Elderly woman on a bench watches a religious procession in Stavropol (Stavropol Krai. North Caucasian Federal District) RF.

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A man rides a bicycle at a city park in Stavropol (Stavropol Krai. North Caucasian Federal District) RF, temperature -8 degrees (17.6 degrees Fahrenheit).

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A scientist stands on the edge of a newly formed crater on the Yamal Peninsula in northern Siberia (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Tyumen Oblast. Ural Federal District RF). A group of scientists went on an expedition initiated by the Russian Centre of Arctic Exploration to research the crater after pilots captured it on video in July 2014, which attracted the public’s attention. Participants descended about 16 metres (52.4 feet) to reach the frozen surface of the base of the crater, which was a lake at least 10 metres (32.8 feet) deep. Experts, including geologists and historians, haven’t yet decided about the funnel’s origin.

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Time to pack up your woollies and head on down to Russia… Sandals in the Caribbean isn’t for you. You’d rather hang with the frozen chosen in Yakutsk… different strokes for different folks…

BMD

8 January 2014. A Photo Essay. It’s Wintertime in Russia…

Walking in the snow in Moscow (Federal City of Moscow. Central Federal District)

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Lermontov monument in Stavropol (Stavropol Krai. Southern Federal District)

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Boater dressed as Santa Claus on the Yenisei River near Krasnoyarsk (Krasnoyarsk Krai. Siberian Federal District) noting the end of the navigation season

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On the banks of the Moskva River in Moscow Oblast (Central Federal District) near the Moscow city limits

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A kid with a snowman in Moscow (Federal City of Moscow. Central Federal District)

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Ice sculpture of Kazan Cathedral in St Petersburg (Federal City of St Petersburg. Northwestern Federal District)

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Love STILL conquers all in Stavropol (Stavropol Krai. Southern Federal District)

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Anglers take their fishing seriously in Divnogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Krai. Siberian Federal District)

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Taking a stroll in Veliki Ustyug (Vologda Oblast. Northwestern Federal District)… the official home of Ded Moroz, dontcha know!

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Harness racing on the frozen Yenisei River near Novosyolovo (Novosyolovo Raion. Krasnoyarsk Krai. Siberian Federal District)

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Mist over the Angara River in Irkutsk (Irkutsk Oblast. Siberian Federal District)

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Brrrr! That looks plenty cold! Do pass the jug… I think that all of us need it… it’s wintertime in Russia!

BMD

14 October 2013. What’s Shakin’ at the Zoo… Two New Lion Cubs in Stavropol

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A visitor to the “Corner Zoo” at Victory Park in Stavropol has her picture taken with the lion cubs born to lioness Cleopatra and lion Simba three months ago.

BMD