We join photographer Kisoon Choi on a journey of discovery across Yakutia and the Far East and celebrate the unique landscapes, cities and peoples.
Many Pacific islands are famed for their palm trees, but Sakhalin is facing some of the heaviest January blizzards in living memory.
One man's carelessness causes 'fire tornado' which destroys 59 houses, another avoidable blaze razes 17 homes, as state of emergency called.
The Russian president took part in the 'Flight of Hope', giving a flying lesson to young white cranes ahead of their epic 5,000 km migration.