https://www.comradegallery.com/journal/photo-essay-the-unworldly-photos-of-industrial-waste-pollution-landscapes-in-russia-environmental-policy scrolltotop The Surreal Landscapes of Industrial Waste in Russia These unworldly photos of Russia's industrial waste sites capture landscapes that appear stunning but hide a toxic reality beneath their surreal beauty. A bright turquoise lake near the Siberian Generating Company in Novosibirsk, known as the "Siberian Maldives," is a toxic waste site. Credit: Alexander Sukharev A bright turquoise lake near the Siberian Generating Company in Novosibirsk, known as the "Siberian Maldives," is a toxic waste site. Credit: Alexander Sukharev At first glance, these landscapes look like something from another planet--stunning expanses of turquoise water, vivid orange rivers, and vast, desolate plains. But beneath their surreal beauty lies a dangerous reality. These are industrial waste sites: ash disposal zones from power plants, sewage drainage channels, and toxic liquid reservoirs scattered across Russia. Photographer Alexander Sukharev set out to document these hidden hazards. As a co-founder of the Kosmaj Project, he spent months traveling across the country, from Moscow to Vladivostok, using a drone to capture the scale of the damage. What began as a planned visit to a few sites soon became an obsession, leading him to seek out these polluted landscapes in nearly every city he passed. "The superficial beauty of these places conceals a horrendous threat to the environment," Sukharev wrote on Twitter. His collection highlights the unsettling contrast between nature's resilience and the scars left behind by industry. These images serve as a stark reminder of the environmental cost of human progress. The waste treatment facilities in Sterlitamak. Authorities are using bacteria which feed on the waste, to reduce the environmental impact. Credit: Alexander SukharevThe waste treatment facilities in Sterlitamak. Authorities are using bacteria which feed on the waste, to reduce the environmental impact. Credit: Alexander Sukharev The sludge disposal site of an aluminium plant in the city of Kamensk-Uralsky in the Sverdlovsk Region. Credit: Alexander Sukharev The sludge disposal site of an aluminium plant in the city of Kamensk-Uralsky in the Sverdlovsk Region. Credit: Alexander Sukharev A liquid waste reservoir near the town of Zima. Credit: Alexander SukharevA liquid waste reservoir near the town of Zima. Credit: Alexander Sukharev The ash dump of the Artyom CHP power plant in the Primorye region. Credit: Alexander SukharevThe ash dump of the Artyom CHP power plant in the Primorye region. Credit: Alexander Sukharev An abandoned copper mine near Levikha village flooded over 20 years ago, turning a nearby river orange with sulphuric acid, destroying soil, trees, and wildlife. Credit: Alexander SukharevAn abandoned copper mine near Levikha village flooded over 20 years ago, turning a nearby river orange with sulphuric acid, destroying soil, trees, and wildlife. Credit: Alexander Sukharev A liquid waste reservoir along the Chita-Khabarovsk highway in Russia's Far East, a region known for its copper, tin, and gold mines. Credit: Alexander SukharevA liquid waste reservoir along the Chita-Khabarovsk highway in Russia's Far East, a region known for its copper, tin, and gold mines. Credit: Alexander Sukharev MENU CLOSE paintingsmultiplesjournalaboutsubscribe CLOSE Russian SFSR Poster by T. Dmitrieva - Children explore red aircraft models and blue book in invention themed art (1982)Russian SFSR Poster by T. Dmitrieva - Children explore red aircraft models and blue book in invention themed art (1982), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight Create, Invent, Try! Offset/paper Russian SFSR, 1982 PS250 - Sold Create, Invent, Try! Offset/paper Russian SFSR, 1982 PS250 - Sold Add to watchlist Estonian SSR Matchbox Art - Blue Tallinn cityscape with playful matchbox element (1960s)Estonian SSR Matchbox Art - Blue Tallinn cityscape with playful matchbox element (1960s), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight Tallinn Offset/paper Estonian SSR, 1960s PS250 - View Tallinn Offset/paper Estonian SSR, 1960s PS250 - View Add to watchlist Estonian SSR Matchbox Art - Soviet symbols arranged on blue background (1960s)Estonian SSR Matchbox Art - Soviet symbols arranged on blue background (1960s), framed in apartment with parquet floors and soft sunlight 50 Years of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Offset/paper Estonian SSR, 1960s PS250 - View 50 Years of the Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic Offset/paper Estonian SSR, 1960s PS250 - View Add to watchlist @comrade.gallery Info COLLECTIONS JOURNAL PAINTINGS ABOUT MULTIPLES T&Cs Stories of art & adventure delivered to your inbox [ ]submit We will never sell your data. Read privacy policy Contact +7 705 314 56 99 hello@comradegallery.com linkedin instagram pinterest reddit