Over the past quarter-century, the lack of Soviet oversight and the end of the Cold War have allowed residents to flee the region for more hospitable climes – and better economic prospects. As well, many areas of this strikingly beautiful land have been blighted by wasteful and destructive mining practices.
Unseen, on the other hand, is the result of incredibly careless management of the former USSR’s nuclear assets. About 250 nuclear reactors dot the peninsula, half of them decommissioned. The frigid seas harbor uncounted amounts of radioactive waste from Soviet nuclear submarines, the clean-up of which is impossible using current technology.
Obviously, Russia’s post-soviet authorities have been less than eager to open up the Kola Peninsula to travel, tourism and other economic initiatives. Russian photographer and blogger Vasily G, however, managed to visit the Geologist’s Pass area during the summer of 2015 and thankfully, he brought a high-quality camera with him! Geologist’s Pass is “a place everyone must see,” according to Vasily G, and thanks to him we can at least see it remotely.
