Love winter? Follow the geophysicist exploring snowy Russian landscapes
Head to Instagram account @igorcibulsky for a crystalline slice of the natural world in winter.
The St Petersburg-based geophysicist documents wild animals, such as eagles or reindeers, as well as starry nights, the northern lights, and mountain peaks.
Camping with his blond Siberian husky, Yeti, Cibulsky posts pics from across Russia, spanning from the Russian-Finnish border region of Karelia to the Caucasus, and beyond. He says he fell in love with winter when he first saw the northern lights.
“Why do I love winter?” he writes in one post. “Because snow is able to turn a pile of garbage into a beautiful, snow-white landscape. In winter, everything becomes magical and crystal clear.”
Yet Cibulsky often finds himself disheartened when society’s disdain for nature is revealed by the melting winter snow. “With the onset of spring, everything falls into place. All of that shit, literally and figuratively, comes out,” he says. “The next time you repost something about saving Lake Baikal with the fingers on your right hand, make sure your left hand isn’t throwing a cigarette butt onto the lawn at that same time. After all, we have all known for a long time where to start if we want to change the world.”
