What is it like to raise a family in the world's coldest city, where winter temperatures plummet
to -64 degrees Celsius?
Today, we'll explore the daily life of the largest family in Yakutsk, a family of 22
children who call this extreme place - home.
Aleksandr Pavlov - the father of the house, starts his day bright and early, heading outside
to gather ice to make sure his family has enough clean drinking water.
Raising 22 children is a challenging task, and it's even more challenging in a place
like Yakutsk
Aleksandr his family live in the suburbs of the city, where, like many others, they face
the challenge of not having access to the central water supply.
Instead, Aleksandr's family, depend on water reserve containers to store the water needed
for their daily activities.
Nastya, Ramina
Nastya, it's time to go to nursery
Meanwhile, Oksana, is waking up their children.
Oksana and Aleksandr are loving parents to a total of 22 children, with 18 of them being
adopted
Their family spans a wide age range, from the eldest, who is 37 years old, to the youngest,
who is just 6 years old.
The youngest members of their family are Sofia, Ramina and Nastya.
Ramina is 9 years old and attends the local primary school, while 6-year-old Nastya goes
to a nursery next to their home.
Today, Ramina has a day off from school because her primary school doesn't work when it's
-45 degrees outside.
However, the nursery continues to operate even when it's as cold as -55 degrees, so
Nastya still has to go to nursery.
Today, the temperature outside is -48 degrees, which is quite common in Yakutia.
As part of Aleksandr’s morning routine, is to check the heating in their home to ensure
his family stays warm on this ice-cold morning in Yakutsk.
Oh, the boiler's pressure went down Thank God I noticed it on time
Despite the extreme cold, Aleksandr and his family rely on two gas boilers to keep their
home comfortably warm at 25 degrees.
Considering the size of their 3800-square-foot home, heating costs are quite reasonable,
around $200 a month.
7:40 in the morning.
All the kids are finally awake!
It's time to get ready for school, nursery and university.
The Pavlov family has 14 kids living with them now.
8 of them are married and have their own families but often come to visit their parents.
Despite having a big house, the Pavlov family still faces the daily challenge of a bathroom
queue each morning.
Hello everyone We are Egorov's family
And this is our daughter Aiyylaana
Hello everyone, my name is David, I'm 25 years old
My name is Ruslan, I'm 10 years old
My name is Nastya Filippova, I'm 6 years old
My name is Ramina Filippova, I'm 6 years old
What?
You are not 6 years old!
Oops!
You are 9 year old!
Oh I forgot, I'm 9 years old
My name is Zhanna, I'm 11 years old
My name is Kolya, I'm 12 years old
My name is Algystaana, I'm 16 years old
My name is Archilaana, I'm 14 years old
My name is Lyonya, I'm 13 years old
Well done!
My name is Sasha, I'm 19 years old
My name is Vova, I'm 17 years old
My name is Yuliya, I'm 22 years old
My name is Sophia, I'm... 6 years old?
While children are busy with their morning routines, Oksana is making breakfast.
Traditional Yakutian pancakes, is a high-energy food that keep them warm during cold days.
Managing schedules and responsibilities for such a large family can be overwhelming, so
establishing routines and delegating tasks is essential, and Oksana's children are always
eager to help.
Our homemade blueberry jam
Now it’s time for breakfast!
With just one kitchen in the Pavlov family's home, space is limited and can't comfortably
fit everyone at once.
So they found a way!
They are eating in a two-row, with the youngest children eating together first, followed by
the eldest.
In May 2003, we initially adopted three children.
During that time, I had been working at an ecology company
Later on, after several years
We found ourselves adopting a total of 18 children
Currently, we are raising 10 kids 8 of them have already grown up and are living
separately
They have started their own families
But they often come to visit us
They see us as their mother and father and always come back to us
During holidays, we love being together and having fun with activities like cooking and
playing games
We feel blessed to have such a large and loving family
Oksana and Aleksandr have shared a happy life together for 30 years.
The decision to open their hearts and home to so many children came to Oksana when she
was caring for her children.
Being a teacher by profession, she has always been drawn to children and wanted to provide
love, care, and a comfortable home to as many as possible.
As their family grew, so did the responsibilities and the need for more attention.
This led Aleksandr to make the difficult decision of leaving his job as an engineer to provide
better support for his family.
Aleksandr and Oksana are fully dedicated to caring for their children.
They receive government support for their monthly expenses, which they use to provide
food and clothing for all their children.
After a hearty breakfast, it's now time for school.
Archilaana is a 14-year-old with three years left before graduating school, thinking of
becoming an actress, dentist, or singer.
Her school day runs from 8:30 am to 3 pm, with a standardized curriculum in Yakutia,
focusing on subjects like Russian language, literature, math, and sciences.
To get into university, Archilaana must pass the Unified State Exam, a test in various
subjects.
Competition for university scholarships is tough.
Without high Unified State Exam scores, students must pay tuition fees, which range from $2,000
to $4,000 a year for local public universities.
So Archilaana is determined not to miss school, even in the extreme cold of -48 degrees.
Not only Archilaana but also her siblings go to school today.
In Yakutsk, life continues even at such low temperatures.
Schools, nurseries, universities, and offices all continue operate in such extreme weather.
From a young age, locals understand the importance of dressing appropriately to brave the harsh
winters
They wear insulated trousers and special winter jackets designed for extreme weather.
Luckily, the Pavlov family lives right next to their school and nursery, just a 5-minute
walk away
They chose their house location with their kids' safety in mind, making sure they don't
have to walk too far outside.
The older siblings look after the younger ones, ensuring they reach the nursery and
school first to prevent them from freezing.
Next in line are Algystaana and Archylaana.
Despite their school being relatively close to home, the older siblings always make sure
they arrive school safely
The eldest members of the family are currently attending the local university in the city
center
In a city with no subway or other public transportation options apart from buses, their daily commute
relies on taking the bus.
Vova, Dayaana, Yulia, and Sasha start feeling the intense cold.
This situation could quickly become dangerous, and with no bus in sight, they must rush back
home or try to stop a passing car to avoid frostbite.
The bus will arrive in 3 min
Luckily, the bus arrives just in time, so they can safely reach their university!
The buses in Yakutsk are red for a specific reason, not just by chance.
They're painted this way because the red color is highly visible, especially in thick fog.
This makes it easier for people in Yakutsk to spot their buses from far away.
Meanwhile, some kids are helping their parents around the house, and like kids all around
the world, they're excited about not having school today!
Primary school are closed today, so they are enjoying their time at home and even playing
outdoors, not minding the cold weather!
Like most locals here, kids are relishing their days outside by playing on snow slides,
ice skating, and skiing.
The kids try to play outside as much as they can until the cold becomes unbearable, at
which point they move their activities indoors.
Indoors, they enjoy playing chess among other games.
Aleksandr takes sports and health seriously, striving to instill a sense of fitness in
his children
Aleksandr built their own indoor gym where the kids train and participate in various
sports activities during the afternoon.
The eldest members of the family are actively involved in professional sports such as athletics,
skiing, boxing, and archery, participating and winning in numerous sport competitions.
Growing up in the world's coldest city I believe it makes us stronger
We aren't afraid of the cold weather We are always working hard
The kids are always eager to help out They help us in harvesting ice and chopping
wood
I believe the cold weather makes us resilient and hardworking
After returning from school, the children engage in dancing, singing, and various other
activities
Living in the coldest place on earth, it's easy to forget about staying active, but it's
Last time I cooked here at -52°C
This is foal meat It cooks very fast
The weather doesn't stop him from cooking outside on his special stove, even when the
temperature drops below -40 degrees.
The meat takes on a unique and delicious flavor when cooked in the frosty air, giving it an
icy, special taste that the family loves!
Aleksandr’s wife, Oksana, is also busy preparing dinner, with the help of the older girls.
They're cooking up a delicious and hearty meal consisting of fish and Yakutian fried
pies filled with meat and rice.
Unlike other regions, vegetables are very expensive and rare in Yakutia due to the challenging
growing conditions.
Fruits are also rare in the traditional Yakut diet.
Instead, people often consume frozen berries, which are preserved and can be stored for
long periods.
Dinner is ready!
Dinner is served, and the family gathers around the table to enjoy a piping hot soup prepared
by loving mum.
In Yakutia, it's a cherished tradition to have soup every day, and it not only fills
their bellies but also warms their souls during the cold winter days.
As night falls over Yakutsk, and temperatures plunge even lower, the Pavlov family nestles
into their warm home, safe and secure in each other's company.
In the heart of the coldest city on Earth, we found a story of warmth, resilience, and
the enduring strength of family.
Thank you for joining us on this extraordinary journey into the lives of the Pavlov family.
Until next time, stay warm and keep the spirit of adventure alive...