In a remote location in Siberia, there is a man living the loneliest life in the world.
Samuil, 67 years old, decided to abandon his life in a small village to choose a wild and isolated lifestyle in the Siberian taiga, about 5 hours away from the nearest town.
For over 20 years, Samuil has been living alone in a cabin in the wilderness, facing extreme temperatures of -70°C (-94°F) and the constant threat of encounters with bears and wolves.
Despite the harsh living conditions, Samuil appears happy with his choice, saying, "I didn't like living in the village, to be honest. I'm quite used to it here... I don't want to go."
Samuil has to cut wood all the time to keep his home warm. His house has makeshift cellophane "windows" that don't keep in heat well. He catches hares for meat and has to be careful storing food to avoid bears.
The cold means he doesn't need a freezer, but he must store food safely to avoid attracting bears.
Samui acknowledges that his way of living is extremely difficult, saying "If I had a proper window it wouldn't be so cold in the house" and that he is often woken up with "frozen" hair.
The loneliest man in the world keeps busy with magazines he collects on his trips to town for work.
His walls are decorated with colorful magazines and clippings. His possessions are basic: torches, glasses, clothes, and mostiquo repellent for summer.
Kiun B and his team have visited Samuil a few times, bringing him valuable gifts each visit.
Last year, they installed solar panels and insulated windows on his roof. They also provided him with a solar-powered electricity pack for light during the dark winter weeks.
Another famous case is Agafia Lykova and her family, who escaped to the wilderness during the Soviet era to avoid religious persecution.
Agafia was born in the wilderness in 1944 and only learned about the outside world, including WWII when geologists found her family in the 1980s.
For nine months a year, temperatures stay below freezing, making warmth a constant struggle without heaters.
Residents gather wood and build fires using stoves inside their homes. Clean water is hard to find as metal pipes freeze, so they melt ice for water.
Food is scarce; harvesting happens briefly in summer, with fish as a main food source.
Even brushing teeth is done with ice-cold water. Faces must be fully covered outdoors to prevent hair and skin from freezing instantly.
Eyebrows and lashes can gather icicles and exposed skin stings painfully.
School is canceled below -55°C, much like in Oymyakon, another village known for -62°C temperatures. Despite the cold, life continues with daily activities like cycling to work and visiting fish markets.
