Inside the Russian Town That Wants a Bridge Just Like Crimea’s

The Ukrainian film director and political prisoner Oleg Sentsov is currently serving 20 years in a penal colony in the town of Labytnangi in Russia. Across the Ob River from Labytnangi, there is another Russian town, Salekhard.

Each town has reasons to envy the other one. Salekhard has an airport, while Labytnangi has a railway. But going from one town to another does not always go swimmingly and here’s why.

There is no bridge connecting Labytnangi and Salekhard. Locals have to rely on 24-hour ferry service. The fare depends on the capacity of the vehicle: travelling on a motorbike or a moped is the cheapest at around $1.5, while heavy goods vehicles can pay around $128. Foot passengers ride for free.

Crossing the river gets problematic once the summer is over. And in Labytnangi, the first snow comes in August. Road traffic stops before the frost sets in, but starts again once the temporary ice road opens.

The hardest times are during ice drifts. When the water begins to melt, and the ice has not fully opened up yet, travelling between Salekhard and Labytnangi is only possible by helicopter. The flight costs close to $16. Goods deliveries, including those carrying food supplies, cease. But they are prepared for this in Yamal and stock up in advance.

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