In Yakutia, a story has spotlighted the clash between promotional chatter and the hard realities of Arctic travel. Yakut Tourism Minister Timur Handy publicly praised local entrepreneurs for their business sense, suggesting they can profit from almost anything. The minister pointed to a lighthearted item described on Torboznoye radio, a post Avito reportedly treated as if it were true.
At the end of December 2024, an unidentified person posted such an ad on the platform offering anyone who wanted to buy “the purest snow in liquid form from the forests of Yakutia for 200 rubles per kg.”
Handy commented on this publication: “For us this is somewhat unusual, but for someone who has never seen snow from Africa or other places in the south… they are buying.”
The minister did not provide any proof that anyone used the services of a snow seller, leaving questions about whether the claim translated into real transactions or consumer interest.
Earlier, Yakutia hosted its sixth Arctic race in temperatures that dropped to minus 50 degrees Celsius. During the event, doctors and rescue teams twice assisted a Chinese tourist who first lost control of his car and then nearly froze to death.
Drivers had previously discussed how to prevent a vehicle from becoming trapped in a snowdrift, underscoring the practical challenges of navigating the region in extreme winter conditions.