Photo journal: Postcards from Russia

Yakutia Republic, Eastern Siberia

In a small village, 40km south of the city of Yakutsk, is one of Russia’s state farms breeding rare silver-black foxes.

The foxes are bred for their furs, which are used to make the all-important winter hats and coats worn to cope with the brutal temperatures of Northern Russia.

Batas, which means ‘sword’ in Yakut, is a skilled skinner who will manage to produce up to twenty skins a day.