(Source: http://fototelegraf.ru)

Karabash is notorious as the “most polluted town in the world”. It is said that this definition belongs to the UNESCO Commission; perhaps, this is just a phantasy of journalists. But the fact remains that the environmental situation in the town is terrifying.

As we approach the “Karabashmed” plant, the landscape resembles less and less of earth: huge black piles, under which you can bury the whole one-storey town, as it seems; orange and green mud; colored puddles. In addition, acid rain has ruined or  even exterminated the vegetation in the town.

Above all this hangs a twelve-meter cross on the top of the Karabash Mountain (the biggest worship cross in Russia!) and a huge inscription “Save and Protect” on its hillside looking at the town.

However, this hell is consolidated on the spot with 15 kilometers in diameter. Outside Karabash Valley everything is green, lakes are rich in fish. People say you can even drink from some of them - although Karabash completely kills your desire for such experiments.