Exploring the Remote Dalnie Zelentsy: Abandoned USSR Border Post & Northern Biological Station on the Kola Peninsula

The video begins by contrasting the well-known tourist hotspot Teriberka with a much less visited and harder-to-reach village called Dalnie Zelentsy on the Kola Peninsula. The narrator explains the route east from Teriberka, highlighting the transition from a good gravel road to a rougher path leading to Dalnie Zelentsy, also known as the "Hole of the World." The road runs alongside small lakes and hills, with some flimsy or missing bridges posing travel challenges.

"Teriberka is certainly an interesting place, but the number of tourists is very large. Too popular place to stay. Few people know that if you go east there is a village that is much more difficult to get to and there are practically no tourists." 0:45

"The road is basically normal. It runs along small lakes, sometimes you have to climb hills. There are no problems with travel. Difficulties can cause flimsy bridges over streams, or no bridges at all." 1:32

Key points:

• Teriberka is overcrowded with tourists.
• Dalnie Zelentsy is remote and rarely visited.
• The route involves a mix of good gravel roads and rougher sections.
• Natural scenery includes lakes and hills.
• Travel challenges include weak or absent bridges.

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Upon arrival in Dalnie Zelentsy, the weather is described as invigorating but harsh, with strong winds. The explorers find shelter in an old border guard building on a hill, which was part of the USSR's frontier defense. They spend the night inside this abandoned outpost, noting the preserved border pillar and the intense northern atmosphere. The wind howls outside, but inside the garage of the outpost, there is a peaceful silence.

"Yesterday we arrived in the village 'Far Zelentsy'. The weather here is different. Invigorating. Yesterday we drove around the village for a long time trying to find a place where to hide from the wind. We saw this building on the mountain. Previously, it was the border part of the USSR." 2:05

"Outside the walls, the wind howls, and in our garage of the border outpost, silence and idyll. I don't even want to leave." 3:59

Key points:

• Dalnie Zelentsy has severe northern weather with strong winds.
• The abandoned border post is a relic from the Soviet era.
• The explorers find shelter and spend the night inside the outpost.
• The contrast between the howling wind outside and calm inside is striking.
• The site retains historical artifacts like the border pillar.

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The video then takes a deep dive into the abandoned border outpost, revealing how Soviet border guards lived. The building is remarkably well-preserved, with intact showers, ironing boards, and even radiators that were never stolen due to the site's remoteness. The explorers find a sauna and a pool, indicating the guards had decent amenities. The garage was built in 1991, showing the outpost was active even after the USSR's collapse. Various Soviet-era items remain, including dried fruits, old scales from 1984, and a weapons storage room. The explorers joke about the boots and examine a world map and a book by Maxim Gorky from 1980, reflecting the intellectual life of the guards.

"Let's go see how the border guards lived in the USSR. Is it a shower room? What are the ironing boards. Everything is well preserved here." 5:12

"The border guards had a good rest here under the USSR! It's good that even the walls here are not painted with graffiti." 6:05

"The garage was built in 1991. This means that this border part still existed when the Soviet Union had already collapsed." 6:40

"In Moscow, any retro dining room that cares about its interior will buy such scales. You won't find them anywhere in this condition." 7:22

"Well, tell us what the border guards were reading. Book - Maxim Gorky 'Foma Gordeev' look what year of publication 1980." 10:14

Key points:

• The border outpost is well-preserved with Soviet-era facilities.
• Amenities included showers, sauna, pool, and ironing boards.
• The outpost was operational until at least 1991.
• Soviet relics like dried fruits, scales, and books remain.
• The guards had intellectual pursuits and leisure activities.
• The site is free from graffiti, preserving its historical atmosphere.

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From the windows of the outpost, the explorers observe the village of Dalnie Zelentsy, now in ruins. Once home to over 800 people during Soviet times, the village has fallen into desolation. The explorers reflect on the decline and the eerie atmosphere of abandonment. They also humorously imagine scenarios like border guards catching spies and interrogations, adding a lighthearted tone to the exploration.

"In Soviet times, the village flourished. More than 800 people lived here. Now there is ruin and desolation everywhere." 12:37

"Well, let's imagine that the border guards caught a spy who violated the border! Where will they put him? Here? Where do they have cameras in this building?" 10:43

Key points:

• Dalnie Zelentsy was once a thriving village with 800+ residents.
• The village is now largely abandoned and in ruins.
• The explorers use humor to imagine life and scenarios in the outpost.
• The desolation contrasts with the preserved border post.

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The final segment explores the Northern Biological Station in Dalnie Zelentsy, a site shrouded in mystery and rumors of strange experiments. Founded in 1935 and upgraded in 1958 as part of the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, it was a center for Arctic flora and fauna research, biochemical studies, and marine biology. The institute moved to Murmansk in the early 1990s, leading to the station's decay alongside the village. Inside, the explorers find old scientific equipment, jars with preserved specimens, and records dating back to the 1980s. They joke about "humanoids" being grown there but clarify it’s just scientific research. They also mention the introduction of king crabs to the Barents Sea in 1960, which have since proliferated and are now subject to licensed fishing.

"No one knows exactly what kind of experiments were carried out here. Something related to scientific experiments in biology. Some kind of humanoids were grown ... Of course, I lied." 14:19

"This research station was founded in 1935. Later, in 1958, its status was raised by creating the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute." 14:29

"In the early 1990s, the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute moved to the city of Murmansk. The building of the institute in the village 'Dalnie Zelentsy' fell into disrepair and then the village itself began to die out." 14:47

"Here that mice were slaughtered? (joking)" 16:10

"In these baths were the first king crabs, which were brought to the Kola Peninsula in 1960. Then they were released into the Barents Sea, and since the 1990s, the king crab population has grown tremendously." 18:13

Key points:

• The Northern Biological Station was a major Arctic research center.
• Founded in 1935, upgraded in 1958, and abandoned in the 1990s.
• Research included marine biology, biochemistry, and Arctic ecosystems.
• The station contains preserved scientific equipment and specimens.
• King crabs were introduced here and have become abundant.
• The explorers mix humor with genuine curiosity about the station’s history.

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The video concludes with the explorers leaving Dalnie Zelentsy and preparing to continue their journey to the western side of the Kola Peninsula near the Norwegian border. They reflect on the unique experience of visiting such a remote and forgotten place, blending history, nature, and mystery.

"Now we are leaving the abandoned village 'Far Zelentsy' and moving on. We examined this part of the Kola Peninsula. The next two series will be about the western side near the border with Norway." 20:06

Key points:

• Departure from Dalnie Zelentsy after thorough exploration.
• Anticipation of upcoming episodes focusing on the western Kola Peninsula.
• The journey combines adventure, history, and off-the-beaten-path discovery.

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This video offers a vivid, personal look at a remote corner of northern Russia, mixing humor, historical curiosity, and a sense of adventure. The detailed exploration of Soviet border life and Arctic scientific research provides a rare glimpse into places few tourists ever see.