A guide on how to survive in Western Siberia

An Altai charity is in the process of preparing a survival skills handbook aimed at tourists and hunters visiting Western Siberia.

Being written by former Soviet reconnaissance operatives and paratroopers it will give professional advice on what to do in the event of emergency situations in the wild.

Included in the guide are tips on how to live through a poisonous snake bite, make small fires and filter water for drinking, using sand, gravel and charcoal.

Readers will be given advice on unusual foods they can eat to sustain themselves, such as boiled frogs and 'very nutritious' red clover. The book adds 'the meat of a brown bear is better to roast or stew as if it is cooked in boiled water it gets a bitter taste'.

A method of making a rudimentary compass using needles, foam and water is explained, while striking an enemy on the nose with the base of the palm of a hand is described as the best way to fend them off.

The unusual book will be published on November 5, and is also expected to contain information once deemed as sensitive or classified, having been used in the field during Soviet-era military operations.

'Every man should have a handbook on the training of secret service agents,' said Evgeny Badulin, the head of the Invalidy Voyny (War Disabled) charity behind the publication. 'Every father needs to teach his son basic survival skills such as setting up a fire or cleaning water.'

The new book is the second from the organisation, following on from Azbuka Razvedchika (ABC of a Secret Service Agent) which was published earlier this year. It will give more details about the training of intelligence agents and how to survive in the wild in Russia, with particular focus on Siberia and Altai.

According to Mr Badulin, the book is based on information gathered by a group of secret service agents in the 1980s when the military was considering survival techniques for after a nuclear strike. Among the sources are Pavel Popovskikh, who was the head of airborne intelligence service between 1990 and 1997. 

Mr Badulin said: 'The Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the Soviet armed forces sent groups of airborne and navy secret service agents to various climate zones of the Soviet Union. They had no food and water and the main aim was to gather information on the area and how to survive there.'

According to Badulin, previously such books could have been read only at special libraries within army barracks.

'After the Soviet Union stopped, the information was no longer needed,” he said. “But those who initiated this work [gathering info on survival] and those who were doing it, kept it. Now it's time to share it.'

The publishers say they have hopes of the books also being passed on to schools, for use in Basics of Safety classes.

SURVIVING THE SIBERIAN WILDERNESS:

HOW TO KEEP WARM:

·         Make several small fires as they give more heat than a large one.

·         To keep a campfire’s heat, sprinkle ground ashes into the embers. This can keep it warm for up to 12 hours.

HOW TO CLEAN WATER:

·         First, filter the water using a self-made filter made with a box or bucket filled with river sand, gravel and charcoal. You can also use just a piece of fabric, filled with sand and charcoal.

·         Then boil the water with young branches of spruce, pine or juniper (100 - 200 grams per bucket of water and boil for 10 to 15 minutes). 

·         Another way of disinfecting the water is using the sun’s energy. Pour some water into a plastic bottle then shake it for 30 seconds, then and pour in more to fill the bottle. Close the bottle and put it on some light-coloured stones, foil or metal under direct sun beams. If the weather is sunny, all the bacteria will be killed in six to eight hours. If the weather is cloudy or the day is short (like in winter), you will need two days. 

WHAT TO EAT:

·         The meat of a brown bear is better to roast or stew. If it is cooked in boiled water it gets a bitter taste. 

·         All snakes, except for sea snakes, are edible as are lizards and frogs. Just remove the skin before cooking. 

·         Red clover is very nutritious. It contains proteins, fats and vitamins. 

NAVIGATING YOUR WAY:

·         You can make a compass using needles, foam and a non-metallic container with water.

FIGHTING FOR YOUR LIFE:

·         If you are bitten by a poisonous snake do not drink alcohol, apply a tourniquet and cauterize the bite.

·         To neutralize an attacker, it is enough to hit the enemy strongly in their nose (close to the bridge) with the base of your palm.