On July 20, 1969, the US Apollo 11 successfully landed on the moon. The following day, Neil Armstrong stepped on the lunar surface and left behind a famous quote that went down in history: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.
That moment symbolised a great leap forward in human exploration of the Universe.
More significantly, Apollo 11, carrying a total of three astronauts, returned to Earth successfully, a remarkable breakthrough in human space technology, and an unprecedented feat hard to equal even to this day!
What many did not know was that Armstrong later went quietly to Siberia during his visit to the Soviet Union.
Armstrong stood silently for some time in front of a simple wooden building as if to offer his prayers. In the end, he picked up a handful of soil, carefully put it into a bottle, and brought it back to the US.
Such behaviour sparked heated discussions among space experts, and it turns out that Armstrong was actually paying his respect to a man called Yuri Vasilyevich Kondratyuk who lived there.
You might wonder who this Kondratyuk was!
Kondratyuk, a Soviet citizen born during the war in Ukraine in 1897, only had a high school education, and had to spend much of his life in the battlefield, prison, or in exile. Nevertheless, he was a gifted mathematical genius.
In 1919, the 22-year-old Kondratyuk came up with the “Gravity Assist Lunar Orbit Rendezvous (LOR)” theory which was sadly ignored at that time.
It was not until 50 years later that NASA publicly admitted that it was Kondratyuk’s theory that solved the most critical technical problems in its lunar mission, enabling Apollo 11’s successful launch, landing, and safe return to Earth.
We can say that Kondratyuk’s log cabin was the actual “launch pad” of the lunar mission. Kondratyuk, who was posthumously recognised as a Soviet engineer and mathematician, was the de facto pioneer in moon landing forgotten by history, hence Armstrong’s special tribute to him!
Some say Siberia is just a geographical concept with little practical significance. I beg to differ!
Making up a whopping 75 per cent of Russia’s total land area, Siberia constitutes a crucial part in the world’s civilisational history. Its extreme climate has given rise to a unique natural landscape endowed with rich natural resources. Its resilience has far-reaching influence.
Siberia has since time immemorial been a precious land sought after by major powers. The many Chinese dynasties – Tang, Yuan, Ming, Qing, as well as the Mongol Empire, Balhae, Goryeo, and Khanate of Sibir had all established their rule there.
The evolution of history not only had left behind its traces here, but also large-scale human migration, culminating in the flourishing of
Eurasian civilisation.
After the 16th century, Siberia came under the Russian Empire. The exile system of Russia and the subsequent Soviet-era labour camps saw large numbers of people unwillingly sent there to develop the vast land mass and build the world’s longest 9,288 km Trans-Siberian Railway connecting the Asian and European continents, playing a vital role in global logistics and transportation.
Despite its size, Siberia houses a population of only about 40 million today, most of whom are Russians, with other ethnic minorities such as Yakuts, Buryats (descendants of Mongolians), Evenks, Khakass, etc.
Their diverse languages, music, dance and beliefs, such as shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism, form Siberia’s unique and colourful Eurasian cultural fabric.
Notably, Siberia is also rich in natural resources – oil, natural gas, and coal, among others – which are the lifeblood of the Russian economy.
These resources are not only vital for the Russian economy, they are also an important means of international diplomacy that will impact the energy supply of China, the EU, West Asia and the rest of the world!
On the surface, such a deal appears to be mutually beneficial to all parties, it nevertheless puts Russia in a dominant position in global energy strategy.
That said, massive wealth disparity is evident in this vast, resource-rich land mass.
The more than 60,000 people of Irkutsk – the capital of Siberia – generally believe that the central government has long ignored local development. Its antiquated airport is plagued with outdated Soviet-era facilities. The centuries-old wooden houses lining the streets are charming but in a state of disrepair due to chronic disuse.
Road traffic is chaotic, urban development frail, with hardly any investment to bolster the local economy.
That said, our charming Russian guide Katya has her own views: Despite the lag development, the local cultural heritage is impeccably preserved here, offering endless surprises to enthralled tourists!
The temperatures could plummet to a low of -29 °C in Siberia this February. Our group of 16 lay down on the frozen Lake Baikal, feeling the echoes faintly resonating under the ice, and quietly listening to Katya singing Li Jian’s “By the Lake Baikal”. Her melodious high-pitched voice aptly embodies the soul of the song!
Right then someone in the group raised the vodka in his hand and asked smilingly: I have vodka, do you have a story to share?
At this moment, to the east in Siberia, the region is known as the “Pole of Cold.” Oymyakon Village and Yakutsk City are the coldest places on Earth, with winter temperatures frequently dropping to -50°C or even lower.
Yes this is Siberia, the immense forgotten land abounding with legends and stories waiting to be explored.
