‘Thousands’ perish amid calls for a state of emergency in the region, with fears anthrax vaccine is a cause of death.

Drifts have reached one metre in height with schools closed, cars abandoned and even a military tank pulling out stranded drivers.

Compass failure: aiming for the Caspian Sea, the elegant birds arrive instead on the Tom River in Kemerovo region, and in the Altai Mountains.

Time is running tight as the workers’ individual oxygen kits are about to run out.

The find, as old as Christ, is the latest treasure from the sacred and mysterious site of Ust-Polui in Salekhard, say experts.

Ceremonial suit was embellished with decorations and left as a sacrifice for the gods by ancient bear cult polar people, say archeologists.

As one area continues to fight blaze, communities in tragedy-hit Khakassia show that human spirit and togetherness can prevail.

Yet nickel capital Norilsk - the city with the highest industrial emissions - does not feature in the top ten.