GREAT PHOTOJOURNALISM

Great Photojournalism

Jacob Ehrbahn

Siberia, 1998

The Kusbass region of Siberia is one of the regions of Russia that has been hardest hit by the economic depression. The coal mines are closing, unemployment is rising, and people grow poorer by the day.

Street in the mining town of Prokopjevsk.

Nina Gordjeva, 66, is from the village Novo-Rosjdestvenka and is the sole provider for herself and her three grandchildren. She provides for the family with almost no money, instead she keeps the homegrown potatoes, onions and other vegetables safely hidden away in a cupboard under the living room floor.

Nina Gordjeva, 66, is from the village Novo-Rosjdestvenka and is the sole provider for herself and her three grandchildren.

Fuel for the family’s stove. Prokopjevsk.

Alternative source of income at the market in Prokopjevsk

Tuberculosis hospital in Kemerovo.
Tuberculosis is a social disease. Poor nutrition and stress combined with sub-standard living conditions weaken people’s immune system, leaving them vulnerable to disease. The old coal mining region of Kemerovo is one of the hardest hit regions in Russia because the economy here is particularly bad.

Tuberculosis hospital in Kemerovo.
Antanina is 78 years old and can only visit her husband Tikhan Terekhov three times a week, since she lives in a village 45 km from the hospital. Tikhan’s illness is terminal, according to the doctors. His lungs are so devastated by tuberculosis that he is beyond saving. When Antanina has a little money, she buys eggs and cream and goes to visit him. “They get such awful food here,” she says.

Tuberculosis hospital in Kemerovo. The hospitals third floor is home for the terminal patients. This is where they spend the last part of their life. Pavel Asjanov is 29 and the doctors believe he has only a few days left to live. Pavel was sentenced for robbery and assault and went to prison where he was infected with the deadly lung disease. “It is a double sentence. First I went to jail and then I got infected with a deadly disease,” he says.

Tuberculosis hospital in Kemerovo.
Patients in a group room.

Woman outside the local grocer’s shop in the village Novo-Rosjdestvenka.

The local grocer´s lady in the village of Novo-Rosjdestvenka.

Ice fishing on the river Tom in minus 20-degree weather. The ice is treacherous and in some places its thickness can be deceiving. Every year, more than 50 people die on the ice.

Kusbass, Siberia.

Nikolaj Sukhobarov works in the coal mine.

Kusbass, Siberia.
Coal mine workers relax in the showering room with a cigarette after a long day of work.

Kusbass, Siberia.
Quitting time. Coal workers pass the time with cards, while “the Express” drives them the last 3km out of the mine. On the left is Nikolaj Sukhobarov (See next picture as well.)

Kusbass, Siberia.
At the home of Nikolaj Sukhobarov and his wife, Julia, who also has worked in the coal mine. On the television is the radical politician Sjirinovskij.

Kusbass, Sibiria.
A lady tries a bearskin hat on in the market in Kemerovo.

Kusbass, Siberia
Old poor woman in her kitchen. Prokopjevsk.

Kemerovo, Siberia.
Garbage dump outside Prokopjevsk. A large group of people search for food, bottles, cardboard and other valuables in the mountain of trash at the local garbage dump.

Kemerovo, Siberia.
Garbage dump outside Prokopjevsk. A large group of people search for food, bottles, cardboard and other valuables in the mountain of trash at the local garbage dump.

Kemerovo, Siberia.
Garbage dump outside Prokopjevsk.
Adults and children dry their clothes and warm themselves by the fire.

Kemerovo, Siberia.
Garbage dump outside Prokopjevsk.
17. Two boys toboggan on cardboard boxes on a snow-covered hill of garbage.