Despite the cold weather, growers in Irkutsk are managing to sell their own fruit developed in greenhouses and pollinated by foreign bees.

New government list of prohibited activities paves the way for new 'environmentally-safe' small businesses near the lake.

World's coldest region defies its stereotype. 

Furnaces for 'advanced' metal production found under dirt track used by summer tourists.

Drivers and passengers escaped their sinking lorries but oil is leaking into the world’s 11th longest river, prompting a local state of emergency.

Ukraine has moved its Consulate General from Vladivostok to Novosibirsk. The former Soviet state has other Consultates General around Russia already.

Damage from wave of floods already labelled 'catastrophic' with worse to come as Russian president Vladimir Putin demands: 'Put people first'.

One man's carelessness causes 'fire tornado' which destroys 59 houses, another avoidable blaze razes 17 homes, as state of emergency called.

In separate case, members of a 'bird mafia' illegally snaring and exporting Red Book hawks and falcons to Middle East were detained in Buryatia.