Siberia, on the Road to the Gulags | Deadliest Journeys

In Siberia they call it the « highway of life »… and also the « highway of hell ». This is the M56, a 1200 km road route that crosses this region in the far Eastern part of the Russian Federation.
The M56 is an indispensable link for the people of the North of Siberia. Summer and winter long, thousands of trucks and hundreds of cars take this road to ensure supplies of food, drink and materials.
But this road to the other end of the world is also a real nightmare. First, because of its history: it was built between 1925 and 1964 by prisoners, "enemies of Communism" sent to the gulags, who never returned.
And today is still strikes fear. Driving conditions are particularly harsh. Here there’s no tarmac covering the surface, only thousands of rocks, far too big to drive on. There’s no car tyre that can resist them!
Dust, mud, vibrations, blizzards that can “overturn a truck” : when you take this road, you suffer! We accompany 3 truck drivers, among them, Igor, 42. He has three days ahead of him before he reaches Yakutsk, one of the most remote cities in Russia. He has to delivery his load of beer at all costs! Aboard his truck we discover the M56.
Director: Philippe Lafaix

[@joepeach997]

I don't think I looked away from this video for even a second. These people experience more life in one day than I in a year. Total respect for them.

[@yellowstone2ndtrumpet304]

Thats true as hell.

[@flightforensics4523]

Well then. You need to get a little "send it" in your life old man! Give motocross a whirl!

[@yellowstone2ndtrumpet304]

@@flightforensics4523 I have seen a dude do that in Russia, but from west to east on a motorbike.

[@flightforensics4523]

"Ghosts" 😂😂😂😂😂

[@yellowstone2ndtrumpet304]

@@flightforensics4523 thats cabin fever!

[@clintstegall1069]

To all the journalists out there, this is how a documentary is supposed to be made.

[@deenhag1]

thank the french for this documentary ...

[@BFVsnypEz]

No political, or irrelevant narrative to be pushed. Perfect!

[@HighlanderNorth1]

​@@BFVsnypEz Yep. Unfortunately the western world is running low on legitimate journalists, for the reasons you spoke of.

[@NotTheCIA1961]

Ehhhh. The visuals were great, but there were a LOT of facts gotten wrong.

[@Deaththumbs]

@@NotTheCIA1961 ikr it said the guy on the radio was rapping about bitumen( a crude oil byproduct ) i was like no way lmao so i shazamed it to see lyrics in english and he was rapping about his black BMW lmao

[@Chuckles..]

After watching this I realize life only _seems_ hard sometimes. For these guys it actually is hard, but they take it in their stride and keep going.

[@broman113]

Stats Joined Nov 30, 2020

[@AremStefaniaK]

life is far easier when you got a self-loading 7.62x39 scoped rifle to deal with most situations, and maybe a bit of camouflage and a 6x6

[@billyyank5807]

​@broman113 who gives a f**k when someone joined. Get real dum dum.

[@Sniperboy5551]

Just like most of the people who live in less developed parts of the world.

[@cattymajiv]

@@AremStefaniaK Says the American gun nut. To them, the answer to every problem is more guns. We need to lock them all up together with their guns, and let them do what nutcases do with guns.

[@Vile-Flesh]

This ended way too early and on a cliff hanger. I wanted to see more of the travelers on the tracked vehicles and see the vast frozen place that was their destination.

[@bradman1961]

me too

[@robgilmore3707]

Yeah, I was like , WTAF?

[@jbr832]

@@robgilmore3707 same!

[@RobinsPortfolio]

...you carry on following and filming, then xD

[@bradman1961]

@@RobinsPortfolio yeah, I'll get right on it...

[@gfurstnsu]

This reminds me so much of living in Alaska back in 1965 to late 1967. I was working on my masters degree at the university of Alaska. It was before they found the oil and was like the Wild West. In the summer the hippies would come and move into some abandoned place and space out for the summer. When the cold came in September, they were gone! I mapped the volcanic rocks in central Alaska and was out in the woods and hills looking for the outcrops of basalt. Yes there were bears, lots of them. When I could smell them I was safe because I knew the wind came toward me from them. It was when I heard them and could not smell them that I could be in trouble. I had no gun and a big pack to load the rocks into to take back and study. There were many abandoned places where once they dredged for gold. They also had hermits living in these towns. I woke up early one morning and one was watching me. They did not like civilization and people. The abandoned towns were like just moved out of. Even had table wear. I also think some of the men were nazi escapees from Germany hiding out there. They were mean and never allowed me to enter their property looking for the rocks. Learned allot and lover the university there. I was young and loved geology and it was a great country. A good place to be when growing up! Ratio of men to woman was 8 to 1 woman. Yes that is typical for the frontier. The summer of 1967 started with an earth quake, then there were the fires under the tundra and ended with a great flood. I was going on the Wilcox expedition but the army did not allow me to. It was the greatest disaster in North American Climbing. Seven of the 11 on the expedition died. The same summer the floods covered our little cabin, we lived in the basement of one of the dorms till the water went down. I married a fellow geologist and by the end of the fall was back in the army for three years. Great time in my life!

[@048821831]

Great Story :), the bear and the winds was an interesting read

[@waniperih1139]

life story or love story . Amazing

[@clinteastwood6333]

@@Spamwhichwizard Having guns in Alaska is like having firewood, water and bread, both to protect yourself from bears and the rapist psychopaths that roam the interior of Alaska.

[@marcosluciosilva2433]

"I also think some of the men were nazi escapees from Germany hiding out there. They were mean and never allowed me to enter their property looking for the rocks" Nazistas serem maus não é novo🤣

[@allanlangat4851]

You are a fossil 😭

[@gfurstnsu]

I live in Alaska in the mid 60s and the Alaska highway was like this. I had a plexiglass sheet that I had to over the windshield to protect it from what we called the “Yukon Rose”. That is a smashed glass spot from the rock hitting the windshield. We drove it in the winter when able. Was a good drive then, no dust, no bugs smashed on windshield, no mud, no rocks thrown up to hit windshield. But then at -40f/c there are other issues, like the steering freezing, ice build up inside on windshield, gas getting into the oil and trying to keep warm!

[@strangetimes3511]

You should write a Book about your Adventures!

[@alexmakfly112]

now everything has changed there in Siberia. roads and bridges have appeared, these places are no longer recognizable

[@dilleralex]

@@alexmakfly112 I thought this video was recent.

[@diane9247]

@@strangetimes3511 Yes!

[@klettersteig599]

@@dilleralex Looks to be about 20 years old, but when it comes to Russia, I assume nothing has changed

[@Slaythehippies]

It's not a "Saiga", it's an SKS, and it wasn't designed for civilian use. It's just that in most countries it was deemed outdated shortly after it was deemed ready for service. There were a few countries that did use it for military purposes for decades after it's invention

[@julesgro8526]

Yes. The other mistake was to call the WPL a "Half track" - obvious nonsense.

[@ferlottes]

SKS !!!

[@jamaljaml3279]

in algeria we call it seminov, the para military corps used it for decades , don't remember it takes 6 or 9 like kalashnikov 7.62 mm calibre ammunition

[@funonoldwheels7150]

SKS is practically the official surplus rifle of Canada. Tens, if not hundreds of thousands were sold here in the last thirty or forty years.

[@BusinessWolf1]

​@@jamaljaml32797.62 is not a caliber, 7.62x39 is

[@DeadPixel1105]

I never heard of this channel before and I clicked on this video randomly just to use as background noise as I do other things around the house. I wound up sitting down and watching the entire documentary. It sucked me in within the first 10 minutes or so. This is a very well made documentary. Thank you.

[@horatiodreamt]

The rifle fired at 8:17 is not a version of the "notorious Kalashnikov". It's a 10-round SKS rifle that the Kalashnikov, aka AK47, replaced in 1947.

[@totensiebush]

exactly, about the only thing they have in common is the cartridge. Different locking mechanism, receivers have nothing in common, etc. In comparison, a Saiga is essentially an AK with different grip/stock arrangement.

[@ggee7391]

Yeah I thought that, looks like it had a bolt action - much more reliable for hunting in the wild.

[@totensiebush]

@@ggee7391 the SKS is absolutely semiauto, but it's a tilting bolt rather than the rotating bolt of an AK, and it uses a stripper clip loaded internal magazine rather than the detachable box magazine of the AK.

[@tuforu4]

You GENIUS I BET AND WELL TRAVELLED.

[@totensiebush]

@@Squilliam-Fancyson the SKS has almost nothing in common with the AK. They fire the same cartridge but that's about it. SKSs all use a forged receiver, a tilting bolt, and an internal magazine fed by stripper clip (with a few exceptions to the last made by other countries) AKs mostly use a stamped receiver (early examples are forged though), all of them use a rotating bolt, I believe all use a detachable double stack magazine. I'm unaware of any compatible parts. Saigas are essentially AKs set up to look (kinda) like SKSs, the mechanical system is mostly AK with some relatively minor changes. The rifles pictured are very clearly SKSs rather than Saigas though.

[@col.cottonhill6655]

I saw this thumbnail on my homepage. I thought "how did I never see this one yet?" Then I noticed it was uploaded 3 minutes ago! Brilliant timing

[@pat8988]

All of these are re-uploads. I wish they would make new episodes.

[@PAULLONDEN]

Yeah , it's always a pleasant surprise to see a new upload.

[@allanreynolds4700]

@@pat8988 plpppppppppppppppppp😊plpppp😊pppppppppppppppppppppp

[@RODALCO2007]

I have high respect for these people who can survive under those extreme conditions. Difficult roads and terrains, but their spirit is high, and traditions are being kept alive. Brilliant documentary.

[@davidblakley5762]

I've been to Yakutsk when I lived in Vladivostok (1996-97) and remember January 1997 being VERY COLD for me (an American). I really enjoyed this video - thank you to the producers.

[@reddiamond6688]

With those workmen, the road will finish in the year 4023😅😂😂😂

[@user-cf3uj5gq6f]

Wha the...!? Don't be naive, it's all over long ago (~ 15 years ago ) lol, this film is extreme old. 🤣 Here is the video of the route filmed a year ago--- copy&paste; Трасса А-360 "Лена". Невер - Якутск. Дорога испытаний. Взгляд дальнобоя!

[@axelpalfy7597]

@@user-cf3uj5gq6f but on that ground and in those conditions, how long will a normal road last? 5 years 10?

[@Grinderflow]

Russia is such a poor country and the badest workers

[@yaboyed5779]

At least they got an excuse for they road construction being shit. 😂😂

[@dobrapippaniejestzla9428]

Most of them "workmen" became fertiliser for Ukrainian soil 😂😂

[@tomislavmackovic9351]

Pozdrav svim ovim ljudim, želim im :zdravlje,mir,radost i blagostanje. Pozdrav iz sela Donji Tavankut u Srbiji.

[@petarpasajlic]

Pozdrav Tomo iz sela Beograd u Srbiji...e da nam je malo te prirode mira i blagostanja iz Donjeg Tavankuta ovde u ovom haosu :-)

[@justasstakionis2183]

no prosperity till putin not in power xd

[@zoranzoranic4534]

Kada se to Tavankut preselio u srbiju? Oduvek je u Vojvodini.

[@vumokart742]

@@zoranzoranic4534 веома духовито

[@tem_vremenem_v_kanade]

I’m a 40 yr old native Russian speaker and I had no idea our languages were this similar!! holy crap apparently I speak Serbian! :) cheers!

[@chadconway927]

I've visit places like this when young. Nothing change since then. Very beautiful but hard to endure. I'd like to visit again

[@scandinerdian1961]

These vistas are absolutely beautiful. There's something very real about it. It talks to me on a primal level. And I also noticed how most of these people had very close to a laugh about their situation. The amount of acceptance for life's challenges and still trucking on, literally, is truly inspiring.😢

[@nikenit]

This documentary is from 2010. This road has been completely rebuilt since then.

[@mv5713]

Truly a gorgeous country. I wish so badly to see Russia one day before I die.

[@Epicasfuk]

This is interesting , This is entertaining and gives a great sense of the life and struggle in the world. Thanks for all your hard work filming and traveling / risking your life making these videos.

[@janisber111]

Typical russian in russia. Misses time when political prisoners would die by tousands to hundreds of tousands just to make there(russian) life better. To hell with russia and its empire, hope it will burn soon.

[@Lohmatsilos]

these idiots want to fight with you and hate you terribly for the fact that they live badly)

[@ericsmith_the_Goyim]

This documentary was filmed in 90s

[@mewkatlol]

These are some tough people, not too smart to not pave their main highways, but at least they are tough... and drunk enough.

[@deenhag1]

thank the french for this documentary

[@ziggyd.6119]

In early 90s I spend few years in Yakutsk and all over Yakutsk oblast also few months in Magadnan oblast (north part of it). Travel those roads and eat reindeer gulash with buckwheat for many days. Meat was stored as on the video, in abandoned mine shaft. Drink theirs vodka from tin cups as well. Life have diferent values there, similar to Canadian arctic where I spend some part of my life as well.

[@mathiasjohannesson9833]

Wow! But what brought you to Yakutsk?

[@ziggyd.6119]

@@mathiasjohannesson9833 Job, construction on permafrost, russian language.

[@t-bird8978]

Yakutsk oblast? The proper name is Republic of Yakutia. Cheers

[@ziggyd.6119]

@@t-bird8978 Hhahhahaha, sure. The proper name is; Respublik Saha.

[@ironsugar8690]

@@ziggyd.6119 that's impressive! i bet your pathway is worth a reading!

[@russelltcranford]

Definitely a ROUGH journey! God bless these guys that are trying to make living !🙏🏾❤️These guys still have a great sense of humor in spite of the battle they have to fight every day ! How could you not love these guys ? 😂❤️

[@TheKATON132]

I love that places like this still exist. Living in the US in California is so boring. Dont get me wrong, I will never end up here in this place but knowing there are places in the deep places of the world that are still a wild west / mad max script makes the world more interesting. A desolate road full of truckers having to survive the wild, the elements, using random run down vehicle repair shops in the high way wasteland driving past road workers who have to hunt to survive with their SKS rifles praying to the old gods for protection, bears attacking people, wolves... haunted stretches of road from the old gulags full of spirits, highway bandits and then beyond the road is a never ending expanse of forests and mountains full of secrets and the unknown. Life is so boring and mundane working your 9-5 hearing co workers talk about sports, celebs and other NPC crap. It makes me feel better knowing there are still wild crazy places on the earth.

[@VagoniusThicket]

🤦🏻‍♂️🫵🏼🫏😚🤡. 🖕🏻🇺🇦🇷🇺

[@5b_c4ll3d_p4ul]

Exactly. But I'm also glad I was born in Central Europe, so I can at least somehow partially choose my life instead of being born into those desperate places in Russia, where you have no other options. But I get how you feel and the Siberian way of life really reminds me of the russian romantic literature like The hero of our time by M. Lermontov, which I love.

[@TheKATON132]

@@5b_c4ll3d_p4ul 100% correct. Im glad I dont live there, but its somehow comforting to know that not EVERY part of civilization is a shit mixture of tik tok, celeb gossip and ugly building with cctv cameras everywhere. There is still mystery in the world, even if its only in small pockets of the planet.

[@zakofrx]

Plenty of Middle Grounds that you can move to.. Go to Alaska or similar.. Find a level of cumfort you need and enjoy the freedom.. Just dont bring along Californian poltics or you could have problems with the locals and you need to get alone with locals in such places..

[@Morussian]

The beauty of Russia is that you can live surrounded by nature not far from some millionaire city. Have access to civilization, and at the same time live surrounded by forests by the river. There are no such problems with the laws as in Germany or Florida, the state does not care about you at all.

[@90AMason]

I've trucked through the rocky moutains and now that seems easy. I had no idea the Russian far east was part wild west and part mad max

[@redscratch5835]

Это и правда, как дикий запад, но только в России.

[@VictorLyuba]

​@@redscratch5835✌️🇺🇦❤️🇺🇲👍И минус 50 градусов зимой!!! И нищета!!!!

[@Vagabund483]

Верно!) Но на юге региона, всё намного лучше, конечно)

[@jamieskinner3789]

The guy who was stuck in mud at 25.09 mins was an absolute legend (we are victims to our own roads)

[@scottprendergast5262]

Jamieskinn- He wasn't a legend- he's just a man commenting oconscious? Are you concious? Nikolai the game warden that was attacked and walked 8km with his testicles hanging by a thread! you wouldnt know what testicles are though, little jamieskinn / we dont blame you ! t's just that you're a Little BOY living in mommies house with a soft american life

[@177caliber99]

Hidup di belahan bumi ini semuanya keras bersyukur bagi anda yang mendapatkan hidup tanpa harus bersusah payah, big respect untuk para pekerja dan pemberi kehidupan bagi keluarganya ini salam dari indonesia anda orang hebat❤🇲🇨

[@frederickmwaurah7590]

Nicolae story is captivating. Especially the moment he encountered the bear. Lol i had a good laugh but at same time sympathise with him . Glad he's is well & alive to share this wonderful epic journey.

[@vernshein5430]

The first rifle as well as that of the game warden were Simonov carbines (ie. SKS) and are not AK47 variants. It fires the same cartridge, the intermediate 7.62 x 39mm as an AK47 but the action is totally different, semi-automatic only and preceded the fully automatic, detachable magazine AK47.

[@xXxPurpaKushxXx]

I'm pretty sure you're actually thinking of the SVT 40 thats the semi auto rifle chambered in 7.62 that predates the AK.

[@vernshein5430]

@@xXxPurpaKushxXx No this is an SKS in the video albeit one modified with a telescopic sight. I've seen a lot of SKS 7.62 x 39 rifles used in Chukotka Oblast by geologists for defense against grizzly bears. I'd prefer a more powerful bear rifle than a 7.62 x 39 but you have to use what's available. One Chukotka geologist that I met had Tigrr rifle, a civilian model of the Soviet SVD Dragonov rifle chambered for the more powerful 7.62 x 54R cartridge, comparable to a 30-06 Springfield. "SKS and RPD Two final firearms worth noting are the SKS (Samozaryadniy Karabin Sistemi Simonova) and RPD (Ruchnoy Pulemyot Degtyaryova). While technically not a true World War II firearm, the SKS semi-automatic carbine was developed at the tail end of the war by Sergi Gavrilovich Simonov while Vasily Degtyaryov worked on the RPD. These are both notable as they were among the first small arms to be chambered for the 7.62x39mm M43 round, which the Soviets developed in response to the German’s 7.92x33mm Kurz ammo that was used for the StG44/MP44 (Sturmgewehr). Soviet arms designers saw the benefits of this intermediate cartridge and looked to create their own version. This would be the 7.62x39mm. The SKS was developed as a semi-auto carbine - much like the U.S. made M1 Carbine - but it only briefly served as a first-line rifle, being replaced with by the now infamous AK-47, which also utilized the 7.62x39mm round. The SKS however remained in second-line service for decades and as a ceremonial arm. The RPD ironically was ready for mass production at the end of World War II, but did not reach this stage until 1953. It remained in use as a light machine gun throughout the Cold War.". armchairgeneral.com/weapons-of-the-red-army-soviet-small-arms-of-world-war-ii.htm

[@madkills10]

​@vernshein5430 I noticed that too. The tribes people at the end (before going on tracked vehicle) had what looked like civilian version of ak platform but I don't know the name

[@xXxPurpaKushxXx]

I'm not saying the SVT 40 is the rifle in the video I concur it is an SKS I just don't believe you're correct in saying the SKS predates the AK. That's what I'm saying I think the rifle you're thinking of that predates the AK is the SVT 40

[@vernshein5430]

@@xXxPurpaKushxXx The SVT does supersede both the SKS and AK47/AKM. The order was SVT, SKS and AK47 and then AKM.

[@10actual]

It is great to see some "regular" folks, as I have found around the world, that have none of the political issues that cause so much trouble in our world. From Texas. Great video!

[@mav45678]

Have you not noticed that the pregnant village woman, who lives in a collapsed house, sad with a sad face "yes, the major here is very powerful, but I'd better not say anything or I could get into trouble".

[@henryschmidt485]

@@mav45678 he means that there is no world politics that revolve around a certain world leader currently conducting special military operations in a country that isn’t his

[@deenhag1]

thank the french for this documentary

[@bogdanscripcariu6501]

@@henryschmidt485 Slava Putin! The ukropigs and their braindead supporters MUST pay a heavy price for the 14.000 Russophones killed between 2014-2022.

[@yolandegilles4777]

Pui je pense plus il y a de cheffaillons comme rn France 🇫🇷 ont nous a tout retiré . Soutien à cette force de vie des russes ❤😂

[@theecentralscrutinizer9978]

If anyone is interested, a Louis L'Amor Novel called Last of the Breed is a fascinating and surprisingly accurate story of an American Military Pilot brought down over the Bering Sea and transported to a prison camp near lake Baikal,and his subsequent escape and survival in the Siberian Tiaga...I purposely left out a twist which is made clear in the first chapter, which helps explain his survival in such hostile territory. Cold war kids will appreciate it... I think it's one of L'Amour's last pieces, written in 1986, just as Glasnost,and Peristroyka were being established. No Six Guns.... No Horses, and no pigeonhole of the American West. An expansion,if you will on a intrigal part of the American West, just in Siberia!

[@255gmoney]

I've read most of his books but I've never come across that definitely search for thanks

[@merc340sr]

Life in this part of the world must be UNBELIEVABLY hard!

[@johnpick8336]

Incredible example of human spirit and determination! Thank you.

[@alvarosousa7707]

Toda aquela região está cheia de cadaveres de mllhoes de prisioeniros inocentes a mando do maior criminoso da história STALI.-ali morreram-maldito comunismo.-

[@Dimythios]

He's right about the Coffee/cola mix. I used to take that when I had to make that long ride. 1500 miles in 24 hours.

[@ronniekotler9265]

Very good documentary, I have watched it twice over the last few months. Thanks for posting.

[@kevinkiso4579]

Absolute wonderful experience here. Thank you.

[@stream-cut]

love the Deadliest Journey series, outstanding documentary, keep it up!!!

[@alo1236546]

Camera man broken hip bones when filming

[@hoze11959]

And probably brain and teeth detachment😮

[@manouchehromari2483]

Amazing documentary! Respect to those who filmed this

[@RollingwiththeRoss]

Mind. Blown. I couldn't stop watching, thanks for your efforts.

[@masonsmith9619]

Simply incredible, best wishes to these hardy people.

[@allen480]

Agreed and best wishes to that cute little baby and it’s family.

[@markokada7311]

I can't help loving & admiring this Deadliest Journey Series! Those Russian drivers who are valiant, gutsy, & courageous certainly deserve a huge pat on the back for a job well done. Btw, if it weren't for this narrator, Tom Wright, who has a low-pitched, kind of husky, & dignified-tone of voice, this doc. couldn't be of much interest & enjoyable. His unique & faintly sarcastic way of talking seems to have enhanced the wealth of intrigue, thrill, & excitement ( I wonder if anyone else perceives the same!?). Lastly, thanks for driving the secondhand Japanese trucks( I've never expected to see those trucks owned by SEINO Transport Company in Japan.) in the Siberian rough & tough roads. Thoroughly enjoy watching & appreciate it to the core.,,,,(03/20/23)

[@speedman69420]

japanese trucks are the only truck that survive

[@mv5713]

They are exceptional people. Russians are among the best in the world.

[@TheChris1299100]

What a fantastic series! Great work as usual!

[@ems4884]

This KZbin channel does not produce their own documentaries

[@TheChris1299100]

@@ems4884 so? The documentaries are great as usual. I doesn't matter who provides them.

[@revnitelj]

​@@TheChris1299100 this documemtary is crap. Ten minutes they talking about road but actually roads are preety cool and new there (because there's no much populations nor trafic to destroy road).

[@TheChris1299100]

@@revnitelj i like the roads too, seeing this stuff is really cool. As documemtaries go, yeah it could be better.

[@zardify_]

This comment section reminds me of brain damage.

[@grantrowland1998]

"We have to pay taxes for roads, there are no roads." As someone who has lived in Michigan, I feel this

[@cattymajiv]

You have no freaking idea! None whatsoever.

[@leonvolq6179]

This guy 😂😂😂

[@Tweakspm]

Michigan does not even begin to compare to the deep reaches of Siberia, or even Alaska in the United States, don’t act like you know what it’s like

[@dblissmn]

You're talking the difference between annoying potholes and frost heaves on the one hand; and getting stuck in liquid mud on a routine basis, going through 20 tire replacements a month and/or blinded to oncoming vehicles by massive dust clouds on the other

[@vistakay]

Try Saskatchewan rural roads, so bumpy your tires can develop bubbles from ruptured inner sidewall

[@OrangensaftDealer]

My great grandfather was a german Mg-42 gunner at stalingrad and was captured and send to the gulags. He escaped later by train hopping back to germany through russia and then poland but his friends who flew with him were shot dead in the journey.

[@maxkamerer]

😂😂😂

[@jonathanking4895]

Right 😂

[@VagoniusThicket]

It was these prisoners that fixed the roads . After gulag slave labor died , it went back to old time commie crap .

[@lanamay198]

Sad. The ordinary people are always to suffer. My Mom was a teenage girl in the 40-th. There were German prisoners of war in their area - the Irkutsk province, by Baykal lake, Easte4n Siberia. The local people didn’t hate the Germans. One day my Mom met a German soldier in the wood not far from their house. He was skinny and hungry. He asked for some food. She run back home and told her grandparents. Her Granddad took some food and they together went to the wood and gave it to the soldier. Late on the Germans were released and were taken home to Germany, as far as I know.

[@peredavi]

I’ve read stories of German prisoners in Soviet camps. Horrible. The ones who escaped and walked west….incredible!

[@skullcrusher8221]

Thanks guys for uploading a new episode of this deadliest journey, we are seeking for more new episodes of this. Thanks keep uploading 😍

[@AmBotanischenGarten]

Truly fascinating, thank you!

[@toddburgess5056]

The mountain refrigerator @ 40:50 stuffed with reindeer carcasses was incredible! What a spectacular resource for the community, ensuring that everyone will have a good source of protein for a long time. 🦌🦌🦌

[@oneflyguy1949]

The resilience of man, wow. I lived in similar conditions in Northern Canada

[@ionrelaxation7542]

I really enjoy watching, because I can see the world through the videos you make, thank you ❤❤❤❤❤

[@JACS420]

Nikolai is as tough a nails. Truly a lost trait of men world wide. Man single handedly keeps the tundra thriving. True sigma. Got attacked by a bear and blamed himself. Respects locals and counter culture and their way of life.

[@ultimathule3834]

funny and kind of ironic these times how he wears an US Army vest lmao

[@mikedn1970]

Well said

[@JACS420]

@@ultimathule3834 I truthfully think he’s apart of the Russian “punk culture” as they are called. Very antigovernment and against crimes of the working class. He idolizes Stalin and Putin so he isn’t witch hunted and thrown in a gulag. He’s definitely not a pure soul, but someone to stand behind until you find someone better. Hard to be tough as nails and a purity human at the same time. Reminds me of a lot of the men I was surrounded by in my rural hometown. I now live in a city that blindly votes Democrat men having rainbow hair and talking like faggots with no confidence.

[@TTFerdinand]

@@ultimathule3834 It's probably the only one he has. And he probably doesn't give a shit. I don't think anyone else up there gives a shit either. And no one would dare tell him to take it off anyway, or things would get even funnier.

[@matusmamczak9113]

@@ultimathule3834 this documentary came up in 2010

[@jeffreymontgomery4091]

Such a fascinating documentary! There are more than a few days ive thought i had it rough.. Na, just watch n learn...

[@thesavagecivilengineers9097]

Why your audience is so small....you guys deserve more subscribers...its just now a days most of the people are into entertainment & short reels....only the real people or mature one reach to your channel...i can understand how much it takes to shoot such documnetry & language issue...you guys are doing great just keep it up...🤗

[@cattymajiv]

3 million is not small.

[@nikenit]

Its a commercially produced French TV documentary from 2010, it has nothing to do with this youtube channel.

[@jarodjohnson4357]

This should be a good one! I'm fascinated with learning about Russia and the former USSR! The gulags and the purges should be taught about in school just as much as the Nazis, if not more, but I didn't learn much about the former USSR until I took World History in college taught by a professor who I'm pretty confident was/is indeed a communist himself.

[@PAULLONDEN]

"A communist himself" what made you think that ? Especially in the the U.S. , questioning the east -west confrontation is considered suspicious . We should all just march after the Pentagon , just like the two allowed political parties who both allow her unconditional and unlimited access to the people's treasury , no questions asked, which usually is the privilege of one party states. Bytheway......the Nazis could count on underhand support from the 1918 allied conglomerate and their banks because Hitler seemed such a dedicated anti communist. It ended all for the best , some came out of that blood soaked history as a superpower with a booming economy and wouldn't want to change history even if they could. It seems the U.S. could use such a little squabble again to unite her highly polarised society into a common goal again with a huge economic upswing like after '45 . Eastern Europe just like the two previous times ,proved the ideal place to cook up such conflicts. One little snag though , the major players own nuclear weapons these days , otherwise the ultimate showdown might've happened long ago .

[@Curi0u50ne]

Then be Shure to watch bald and bankrupt channel as he went all over the former ussr, and I mean “all over” very informative chap who entertains at the same time….

[@jarodjohnson4357]

@@Curi0u50ne I'm a big fan of Bald and Bankrupt and I used to watch NFKRZ a bit too, good recommendation. A lot of the places Bald goes remind me of the abandoned Air Force Base out by the K.I. Sawyer airport, it closed about 30 years ago and has been low rent housing since the late 90s. I lived there for a long year in 2011-2012 and the feeling of desolation and hopelessness out there walking on the empty streets by abandoned spray painted buildings with all the windows busted and the copper wire long gone, torn out by tweakers years ago... Something about that feeling resonates heavy whenever I watch Bald wandering around some ex Soviet city or area.

[@adrienperie6119]

Why wait for school to teach you what you want to know ? You live in the internet age dewdz ! ;)

[@jarodjohnson4357]

@@adrienperie6119 lol I graduated in 2005 and went to college in 2007-08, I've learned more since then many times over

[@Phyx1u5]

Awesome, is there a part 2? It seems to just end. Thanks for the content!

[@alwaysready4017]

Man thank you so much for this film, I enjoy watching from the US.

[@mickfeagan4658]

I just found this channel and love it. I am a retired trucker from US. I love the video called "Man's First Friend". If you love dogs you will love the documentary. ❤

[@Telephony954]

I have always been grateful, to have been born in a place and time, when there is better in the world than what others have to endure on a hourly basis. It is my hope that all can find a safe, and comfortable existence. Be well.

[@Kjeesle]

Driving a car in this region would drive car lovers truly crazy.

[@anza1382]

Did that horse bump into the traffic sign at 25:58?

[@jlo7770]

Yeah even in Russia the horses drink vodka till they're blacked out

[@johnspace1876]

32:39 Nikolai the watchman for the road crew cabin has a The Exploided shirt. He's a big fan, I bet.

[@msergei98]

This is A-360 motorway which goes from Never settlement to Lower Bestyakh (Yakutsk is on the other side of the Lena and there is no bridge) Now it's mostly finished, from Never to Aldan (650 km) there is only 20 km and 15 km pieces of dirt road, rest is steady asphalt with some waves closer to the south end

[@AndreAKAua]

I just watched a video of a guy bicycling through it. Still shit, it’s definitely not a highway, just a road, not even finished, and knowing how it’s built with Russian corruption, it will probably last 5-10 years. By then, there will be no money to repair it since “special operation” or “Kyiv in 3 days” is eating up insane amounts of Russian rubles

[@cattymajiv]

Asphalt is famously unstable in climates like that! It wouldn't even last 5 years. I know. I'm Canadian. I've seen asphalt roads, even without heavily loaded semi trailers.

[@mtbfreebirdTCB]

Very well documented in all aspects 👏👏👏

[@michelb96]

If the Truck driver is 42 and was in Afghanistan (where the Soviets left in 1989) and we assume that he was 18-19 at his time of military service, this bit at least was filmed in 2012

[@liveChef]

Very compelling... Loved this

[@AH6man]

8:08 that looks to be an SKS actually. It was introduced at the very end of WWII and was used up until they were able to get the AK-47 mass produced in 1953, I think. It was something along those lines. Anyways the rifle was and still used today for ceremonial purposes. It was also a big hit in the civilian markets across the world. A very beautiful rifle, and one of my favorites for sure.

[@specom]

Correct. Used to be able to buy them for $138 backing the 80s and early 90s. Punks and skinheads used to shoot at each other with them cuz they were the only rifles they could afford. 😆

[@peterkonitzer4410]

@@specom SKS 7.62.. could cut the barrel off . old days ( '72-74 )

[@AH6man]

@@specom yeah its a damn shame and a shame we cant get anything norinco today because theyre still selling them brand new at amazing prices in civilian markets. I got one for about $375. Late 50s model made for the NVA by norinco. Seller and I had no idea until I was finally able to find information on it that lined up with what I saw on the gun.

[@holyluke]

This narrator is always a joke, his translations and lack of knowledge is always amusing, when I heard Saiga I had to comment XD cool to see the travels and places but it would be so much better without the narrator.

[@peghead]

@@holyluke Also, he referred to the tracked vehicle at the end as a Half-Track.

[@erikenshysolli1894]

Respect for all truckers out there ! Not an easy job!

[@arbur4746]

this channel truly has "Best Documentary"-ies

[@fotoreporter.vienna]

It was a very exciting and intersting dokumentation, I would be very interested in living with this people for a few month to learn how difficult but also independant there life is. Thank you for this movie!!

[@VagoniusThicket]

Du depp !

[@warperone]

fantastic documentary - real life, real people

[@mikeb5372]

Excellent documentary!

[@Fish_Horse]

2:50 Игорь , 42 года , ветеран войны в Афганистане 😂. Ну вы блин даёте, как сказал бы Михалыч 😉.

[@user-ou2wy3kr7u]

A brilliant film as a documentary. The reactions it causes are terrifying. I would like to see all those admiring "this place to live" when they are forced to live there. Next time they will definitely not be impressed when they see such places.

[@OutlawedSpank]

I got incredibly stoned and watch this documentary, it was absolutely incredible. multiple times in the viewing. I had o rewind and watch a scene over and over, as it was so fascinating, particularly scenes that show deep superstitions, notice how the further north this case of beer travels, the further back in time we go, the more ancient customs, notice the untouched $100 bill on the sacred mountain gods monument. Overall, incredible, 9.5/10

[@JasonPeters-pd7sg]

Awesome I'm gonna get stoned and follow your journey !

[@Knezevic83]

awesome video, what a journey

[@emilioprogressive]

Só uma palavra para tentar explicar este estilo tão hostil de vida: incrível, incrível, incrível!

[@itsmemattagain9841]

hostil? hah nao fazem nem 100 anos que nosso padrao de vida mudou tanto, isso nao é nada

[@emilioprogressive]

​@@itsmemattagain9841 Cara, eu moro no nordeste desde minha infância, e por mais que eu tenha visto falar em dificuldades de subsistência devido a falta de chuvas, recursos, altas temperaturas e tal., acho que não se compara nem de longe com o frio extremo (dia e noite, o ano inteiro), terras enlamassadas, sem pavimentação, e dificuldades de locomoção que estes povos tem... O que vc pensa acerca disto?

[@hughjanus3616]

The landscape moulds the people 💪🏻

[@Windows98R]

it feels weird seeing that truck offroading in Siberia when it was delivering just outside of where I live in japan

[@coolgabe64]

I am a road driver here in the US.... I think we got it easy.

[@mab1ism]

You do

[@jerryferko8309]

AN AMAZING VIDEO ........ THANKS FOR THE UPLOAD

[@sonofnam4418]

Deadliest Roads/Journeys are undoubtedly the best shows on KZbin 👍 From Guam, USA 🇺🇸

[@robertothompson3058]

Fantastic series.

[@shanesmith1854]

Nikolai was my favorite character in this one. Such an experienced fella!

[@danr.1299]

Dude was longing for the days of Stalin and the gulags sounds like a pos

[@StonyRC]

Man, that is "living on the frontier". Those are some tough and resourceful people.

[@blitzkrieg3546]

I live in Fairbanks Alaska , The road side in this video reminds me of the road side up North , - the extreme road damage.

[@verkhom_na_zvezde]

Когда-то принадлежала России🤷‍♂️

[@olgagaming5544]

Do you have UAZ delivering goods too? ;p

[@parlaypaul6186]

this is one of the more wild things ive honestly ever seen on youtube.. how do you leave on such a cliff hanger

[@billotto602]

Incredible people to be living like that. A serious injury or illness could easily be the end of your time on earth.

[@MarkoDeLaVoota]

poor bear sitting chained like that , hard life though

[@jasonconnor3905]

Bear deserve, more vodka

[@user-sv6zc5xi6z]

люди это-такая "зараза"....выживают и приспосабливаются везде и самое главное!!!находят смысл во всем этом))

[@rusaxe4443]

И ещё сильней и живучей становятся.

[@jonathanbaron-crangle5093]

43:00 this road that takes 4 days to get to destination, that's true dedication looking AT the road concerned

[@armageddon1403]

A fantastic dokumentary!!!!!

[@jumpingeagles1]

Bruh… this is like some old vice North Korea / Russia type documentary. Crazy good. Crazy to think they have a baby on board while traveling in a Soviet half track tank

[@jb1934]

Those massive ex-military trucks are a treat for sure, but the tank was priceless. The over-crowded mini-bus is a bit of a cliche for travels in the south asian countryside. Here we have the analagous vehicle in Russia, the over-crowded tank.

[@AndreAKAua]

Just another day in Soviet Russia... The whole world moved on, and those guys were still stuck in the 1900s

[@LongTran-em6hc]

It's a fully tracked vehicle, not half. I wonder where that Evgenian got the AK-74M from. It's hot shit in ealry 2000s

[@scottprendergast5262]

@jb1934 they are the toughest trucks In the world! The only america truck that tough was the old (1980s- before they became Volvo trash) MACK BULLDOG from Allentown pennsylvania

[@Vagabund483]

​@@AndreAKAuaэто самая дикая и заброшенная часть страны, как у вас Детройт.

[@noorparwan9067]

Im speechless Beautiful Documentary, How Ever Life is Hard Weather is Harsh But People Still having Fun and Laughing, This Video Made My day I truly Appreciate You Guy's Work ,🙏

[@marialimalima7304]

O trem é puxado... kk mas tou amando essas jornadas.. das estradas.. fé guerreiros...👏👏🇧🇷✌

[@GiteFetichistes]

Merci pour ce beau reportage

[@remcovanvliet3018]

They should gather up those discarded tires, bolt them together to form a mat, and integrate them into the road surface. It'll improve the durability of the road considerably.

[@muddyhotdog4103]

It's proly not a reasonable solution.. It would take a lot of tires, money, and upkeep. I'm sure they'd just wear and be destroyed after a couple years of traffic on frozen rubber in the winter. And bolt them into what? I mean they can't even get asphalt to stay put in the winter.

[@pault1964]

Who is going to pay for it

[@sandrineroesch8706]

I drove with such 4 frozen rubber things every winter 😂 Funny comment

[@patspc6688]

I thought the same, just chop them up and scatter them. Bit softer on the trucks. 😁

[@olgagaming5544]

For 300 kms? You can do a short road to your home like this not a 300 km journey

[@thtkp5]

This is outstanding. A fun and very informative documentary. It seems Russian development is held back by their poor road network. This is traveler's dream. Keep it up.

[@carkawalakhatulistiwa]

This 2010 In 2016. Rel aredy to yakutia

[@sergmats05]

By their collective foolish approach to life decisions .Roads are just consequences of it

[@cattymajiv]

@@sergmats05 Exactly.

[@nikenit]

This documentary is from 2010. This road has been completely rebuilt since then.

[@mv5713]

Golly, Nikoli is a proper man. God bless that fella

[@jorgedivino9047]

Bom dia, sou do Brasil e estou assistindo este documentario de vcs. É uma jornada muito dificil de se fazer mesmo tendo um carro traçado. E esses pessoal que aparece no documentario são uns guerreiros no meu modo de vê. Mas tem lá a suas vantagens, pois tem que paissagem exuberante durante a jornada. Vai aqui o meu abraço a todos!.

[@ironsugar8690]

Correction to the subtitles if I may: at 8:00 they don't speak Russian, but local language.

[@fjdfkjwikfo]

The road has been repaired few years ago. At the moment it looks like a decent rode, checked google maps

[@justtomention77]

Thank you 😊

[@KnowstheFuture]

Gosh, these men make my job look easy....those are some hardworking responsible men...all liabilities are on them alone.

[@esr243]

It is a well told story. For having penetrated deep inside Russia myself, the documentary illustrates well that unique fatalism, unpreparedness and resilience in adversity among Russians of all origins. It also clearly shows how Asian Russia today remains as a country. But the extraction industry and resulting destruction / pollution industry make me sad too. Mixed feelings.

[@VHSKacceta]

Asian Russia is not much worse developed than Southern or European Russia. It's just that the entire infrastructure, roads and cities are located in the Southern part of Siberia and the Far East. The further north you go, the wilder the places there are and the further away from civilization. Huge territories, a population like in Japan, so there is no need and desire to build hundreds of kilometers of paved roads to some village in the northern depths of Siberia or the Far East. This is exactly the beauty of Russia - huge wild territories.

[@kachala]

it's old video. now all this road is asphalted.

[@esr243]

@@VHSKacceta great answer

[@VictorLyuba]

​@@kachala✌️🇺🇦❤️🇺🇲👍I is not true!!

[@kachala]

@@VictorLyuba it's true.

[@emancipatedlionm9215]

Fascinating documentary! Life/ living in the old USSR all its colonies brave ppl gulags fierce roads, lots of rivers/lakes ( that huge land Russia.)...absolutely interesting 💥👍🏾