Exploring an Abandoned Soviet Town in the Arctic (Barentsburg)

We took a two-hour boat ride from Longyearbyen to explore an abandoned Soviet mining town before arriving in Barentsburg, a Russian settlement with a school, hospital, sports center, brewery, and coal mine. We walked through the eerie town, visited its Lenin statue, ate Russian food, and learned about its history and Russia’s strategic interest in the Arctic. We compared the atmosphere to North Korea before returning by boat to the Norwegian side of Svalbard.