Matochkin Strait, Arctic strait in Novaya Zemlya, Russia
The Matochkin Strait is a narrow waterway in Novaya Zemlya that separates two main islands and links two different seas. The passage measures roughly 600 meters at its narrowest point and remains frozen for most of the year.
The area gained international attention in 1961 when the Soviet Union conducted major nuclear tests. Subsequent decades saw further underground testing activity nearby that shaped the region's modern history.
Former fishing settlements once dotted the shores, reflecting how communities depended on these waters for survival. Today, these abandoned places tell stories of a maritime way of life in one of the world's harshest regions.
The waterway is difficult to access and dominated by thick ice that limits navigation throughout the year. Visitors should prepare for extreme Arctic conditions and understand that passage opportunities are severely restricted.
Scientists conducted dozens of underground nuclear tests in tunnels beneath a nearby mountain during several decades after 1963. These experiments left a deep mark on the geological history of this remote Arctic location.
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