Siberia. Firewood for Mobilized Men (2023)

Overview

Siberia stands as Russia's most abundant macroregion in terms of natural resources, yet paradoxically, it grapples with significant disadvantages. Boasting 88% of the nation's natural gas reserves, only 16.8% of households have access to this vital resource—lower than anywhere else in the country. Historically, the state has extracted resources from local residents, and recently, this trend has escalated to include the relocation of residents themselves, sending them to Ukraine. As a compensation for fathers, husbands, and sons being sent to the front lines, their families receive firewood to endure the harsh winter of 2022-2023 without freezing. Correspondents from Novaya Gazeta traverse Siberia, engaging with ordinary residents, local officials, and the families of those mobilized, delving into their perspectives on poverty, the ongoing special operation, and the contentious necessity of sending their loved ones to the front lines.