Nobody lives there

This story is not about political protest. It is about people’s connection to their land and what they are willing to do to protect it.

In January 2019, a new waste management reform was introduced, aimed at resolving Moscow’s growing waste crisis. According to the plan, solid household waste from the capital would be transported by rail to sparsely populated regions of the country and buried in specially designated landfills. It was claimed that no one lived in the selected areas. In reality, this was not the case.

Construction of the first landfill began illegally, six months before the reform was officially adopted. The site was located at the Shies railway station, on the border between the Arkhangelsk region and the Komi Republic. Local residents boycotted the construction and, for more than a year, maintained self-organized watch posts to prevent fuel and construction equipment from reaching the site. The authorities were unable to disperse the protest, as the construction itself was unlawful.

People feared the environmental consequences. The landfill was planned in a marshland area, where construction would contaminate groundwater and soil. Local residents risked losing access to drinking water and the ability to sustain agriculture. They would be forced to leave — with nowhere to go.

The protest at Shies had a distinct character. It was a peaceful expression of will by people who sought only one thing — to defend their right to live on their land. And they succeeded. For more than two years, residents remained at the site around the clock. In 2020, the authorities cancelled the project; the developer removed all equipment and dismantled the structures. Trees were replanted on the cleared land to replace those that had been cut down.

Publications:

National Geographic (Rus)  Russian Reporter  

Zapovedinic  Regnum   The eye of photography (FR)  Russian Reporter (reportage)