Russia’s loneliest woman doesn’t know there is virus pandemic in the world

Agafya celebrated her 76th birthday several weeks ago in April inside her tiny house surrounded by centuries-old trees deep in Siberian taiga. 

Members of the team of Kemerovo region’s governor who take care of Agafya along with the rangers from the Khakassky Nature Reserve believe that the world-famous recluse has no knowledge of the pandemic. 

‘We’ve just had a chat with her recently, I called to check upon her health. Agafya has a satellite phone for emergenies and for several times a year calls when we want to check that she doing well.

'She said she was feeling well. I didn’t tell her about the coronavirus, I didn’t want her to start getting worried’, said Alexander from Tashtagol city administration who have known Agafya for years.

The last time he saw her in person was in Autumn 2019, Alexander explained, but he knows that Khakassky nature reserve inspectors have already travelled by boat to visit her. 

Early spring and abnormally warm temperature allowed them to make the first river trip to the hermit’s house weeks earlier than usual.  

‘We all take extreme care when visiting Agafya, virus or no virus - she is like a Mowgli who has never came across modern day infections and diseases, we know how disciplined and cautious we must be in making sure she stays safe’, Alexander said. 

Agafya is the last survivor of a family of Orthodox Old Believers who in 1936 fled into the forest to escape religious persecution of Stalin's Russia. Pictures: Igor Nazarov, Nikolay Proletsky

There are dozens of volunteers who wish to travel to Khakassia, but currently Agafya is quite content with having her cousin Alexey Utkin living close to her. 

‘She is not an easy person to live with, and many people who wish to help her don’t understand her character. I know her well, she is a child of a nature, she needs somebody who would listen to her and obey her orders’, Alexander said. 

‘I am a Siberian man, but I would find it impossible to stay in her place for more than three days. It is extremely challenging physically and morally, yet she seems to be finding it the only life she wants to have. She is a Mowgli.’

Agafya, 76 is being looked after by the team of Kemerovo region's governor and rangers of the Khakassky Nature Reserve. Pictures: Vladimir Makuta

Agafya is the last survivor of a family of Orthodox Old Believers who in 1936 fled into the forest to escape religious persecution of Stalin's Russia.

They were discovered dozens of years later in 1978 after being spotted from the air by a group of geologists on a remote mountain side close to Erinat river in the Abakan range, south-western Siberia. When they were found, they had no idea World War Two had started - or ended. 

Agafya was the fourth child of Karp and Akulina Lykov, and for the first 35 years of her life she had no contact at all with anyone outside her family.

Her mother died in 1961, her father passed away in 1988.

For most of her life Afafya lived much as a peasant from the 18th century with hardly any modern comforts, guided by an ancient Bible.

Agafya Lykova pictured several years ago. Pictures: Tashtagol city administration/The Siberian Times