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    • Marais poitevin, a territory in danger
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межсезонье

At the end of the winter, the snow which covers the ground most of the Russian soil disappears and make the diversity of the landscapes more visible. This moment of transition between two seasons is called межсезонье (pronounce: mejcezonie) in Russia. 

In the immensity of this territory, other phenomena of transitions, similar to межсезонье, can be observed. Since the end of the USSR, war memorials and military monuments are, among others, the open memories of a common Soviet past. On the bank of the Volga River, Volgograd, formerly Stalingrad, the fourth largest city in Russia, seems to exist to embody these moments of glory, the sacrifice of the Russian people against Nazism, which is immortalized by the Родина-мать зовёт (The Motherland Calls), the highest statue in Europe. 

Nevertheless, following the melt of the soviet era, small islands of cultural entities are flourishing in the southwest of Russia. In 2005, the largest Buddhist temple on the European continent was built in Elista, the capital of the Buddhist republic of Kalmykia. Three years late, a few hundred kilometres south, Grozny, the capital of Chechnya inaugurated the largest Mosque in Europe, contrasting with “state atheism” which prevailed during the Soviet era. Chechnya, North Ossetia, and other Caucasian Republics are also highlighting their cultural heritage sites, and their history, but also differentiate to the rest of the federation, to whom the are tied.

Each of these islands has its own historical, social and religious dynamics to what can be considered as a moment of transition.

The 85 meters Motherland Calls Statue, the tallest statue in Europe, inaugurated in 1967, which dominates the city of Volgograd. This state was built as a tribute to the hundreds of people of soldiers who died in Volgograd.

Tiny orthodox church in Volgograd city centre.

Lenin statue in the city centre of Volgograd.

A plane from the second wordl war in front of the Volgograd Panorama Museum.

A woman walks on the main street of Sarepta, behind her, a butcher sells meat in a trailer.

Next to Sarepta main market place, some people sell honey on the hood of their old car.

A dweller walks next by an alley of tanks next to the Volgograd Panorama Museum.

Retired people fish on the Volga river in the city centre of Astrakhan.

An unfinished road on the road between Astrakhan and Elista, which go through the steps.

Morning view of the Burkhan Bakshin Altan Sume, built in 2005, it is the biggest buddhist temple in Europe.

View of the pond of the village of Khar Buluk, which is situated at 20 kilometers from Elista.

View of a house, built in Tibetan Buddhist style, in the village of Khar Buluk, which is situated 20 kilometers from Elist

View of a memorial, with the name of the soldiers killed during world war 2, in the village of Khar Buluk, which is situated at 20 kilometers from Elista.

Motorbike of a sheep herder who paid a visit to his herd in the steps of Kalmykia.

View of the temple Odinokiy Topol' S Kaskadom Rodnikov, built in tibetan buddhist style, outside of the village of Khar Buluk, which is situated at 20 kilometers from Elista.

View of the temple Odinokiy Topol' S Kaskadom Rodnikov, built in tibetan buddhist style, outside of the village of Khar Buluk, which is situated at 20 kilometers from Elista.

View of an ancestral tower near the village of Kharachoy, situated in the moutainside of Grozny, in Caucasus.

View of the Kozenoy holiday resort, with a portrait of Akhmad and Ramzan Kadyrov. During winter time, people from Grozny and the rest of chechnya come to enjoy the mountains and the frozen lake.

View of the Caucasian mountains, near the Kozenoy holiday resort. During winter time, people from Grozny and the rest of chechnya come to enjoy the mountains and the frozen lake.

View of the Caucasian mountains, near the Kozenoy holiday resort. During winter time, people from Grozny and the rest of chechnya come to enjoy the mountains and the frozen lake.

View of a garden, near the Kozenoy holiday resort. During winter time, people from Grozny and the rest of chechnya come to enjoy the mountains and the frozen lake.

View of the Khoy village, an ancient village situated near the Kozenoy holiday resort.

A woman walks next to the newly constructed Ramzan Kadyrov mosque of the new part of the town of Chali.

A man is praying in the newly constructed Ramzan Kadyrov mosque of the new part of the town of Chali.

Women are cleaning the newly constructed Ramzan Kadyrov mosque of the new part of the town of Chali.

Young inhabitants of Grozny are playing on swings at the end of the afternoon, behind the Ahmad Kadyrov, built in 2008, and the biggest Mosque on the European continent.

View of the Ahmad Kadyrov mosquee at dawn, built in 2008, and the biggest Mosque on the European continent.

Dogs are resting next to an old soviet car in the street of Vladikavkaz.

A man is carrying jars of vegetables such as tomatoes. Vegetables in jars is a common way of conserving food.

A military truck, which is used as a traveling van by a russian couple, is parked on hill facing the Kazbek mountain.

Vova and Valeri are taking pictures of the picnic they will have at night, behind the Kazbek moutain.

Vova is preparing tea to warm himself up. Temperature can go down at the bottom of the Kazbek mountain.

Sergei drives is old soviet pick up on the winding tracks of North Ossetia.

View of caucasian mountain from the Dargavs necropolis.

View of the tower which overclimbs the Dargavs necropolis, and are meant to protect the people burried in the necropolis.

View of the Necropolis of Dargavs, which counts 99 small houses constructed by Alains.

View of the Necropolis of Dargavs, which counts 99 small houses constructed by Alains.

View of a dog, inside a garden in Karmadon, which used to be a Thermal destination.

View of one street of Kamardon, which used to be a Thermal destination.

View of Karmadon, which used to be a Thermal destination.

View of Karmadon, which used to be a Thermal destination.

View of Karmadon, which used to be a Thermal destination.

View of a traditional cemetery in Karmadon, which used to be a Thermal destination.

View of a modern cemetery in Karmadon, facing the Kazbek mountain.

View of a village in the mountains of the north ossetia.

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