A narrow chain of the Kuril Islands archipelago, a location of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and sunrises, extends from the Kamchatka Peninsula to Japan's Hokkaido in the Pacific Ocean in the southeastern part of Russia.

The earth's surface here is in close proximity to uncontacted magma. The very hot gases and vapors that come out of the Earth's core rise to the surface and heat the water, which then comes out under pressure.

The Kuril Islands boast beaches and dunes of black sand, also formed by volcanoes. The sand acquires its black hue due to the presence of volcanic ash. And thanks to a special mineral, if you bring a magnet, it will attract sand to itself.

In total, the Kuril Archipelago has 56 islands of various shapes and sizes. The highest point is the Alaid volcano, over 2000 meters.

One of the most famous islands is Simushir. It lies exactly in the middle of the Kuril Ridge and covers an area comparable to Vladivostok: 340 square kilometers.

There is a Brouton Bay in the northern part of the island. On its shore lies a ghost town called Kraterny. No one has lived here for a long time, and only some tourists come here.

The town was founded in 1978 for military purposes, but less than two decades later it was abandoned. The last recorded presence here dates back to 1997. Abandoned cities, towns and villages always leave a mixed impression. On the one hand, they evoke melancholy and sadness, but on the other, they attract. You'll agree, there's something mystical and mysterious about them.

Life was in full swing in Kraterny, and everything was equipped for a completely comfortable existence. Four-storey houses, military dormitories, a school and kindergarten, shops, a post office and a medical unit were built. There was a large amount of machinery, sheds and garages. For such a remote location, this scale of construction is impressive.

Unfortunately, all buildings and equipment are in poor condition these days. Some of them were looted, and some became unusable over time and under the influence of natural conditions. What you see leaves a special mark in your memory when you realize that once there was a lot of life here, children went to kindergarten and school, but now everything is empty. This place is like the scenery for the movie "Stalker". Nature gradually takes over and covers everything with soft moss, which adds atmosphere.

Such places always leave an indelible impression: at first it seems that life has left here, but then you realize that it has simply become different: nature lives here, occupying everything that man left.

Photo and Video by:  Sergey Semenov

07 November 2025