Deputy editor reviews 2025: lost ski resort and national stories

Every year, journalists at 29.RU write numerous articles, some of which become especially memorable, resonant, or simply beloved. In this author«s column, deputy editor-in-chief Valeria Bogatyreva shares her personal favorites among her own texts.

Longread about a ski resort

For me, this is my personal top pick and the article of the year. And even though it lacks my favorite kind of «on-the-ground reporting» (I didn«t travel to Ustyany or meet people in person), a lot of work went into it.

My journalistic interest in the topic was preceded by a personal one. I wanted to go snowboarding somewhere other than «Mechka» and Malye Karely. But the information online about the Malinovka ski resort was outdated. And imagine, some people traveled there only to find out on site that the slopes were closed.

It«s not that the former ski complex in the village of Kononovskaya was super popular, like the ski resorts in Kirovsk and Krasnaya Polyana. But the fact that tourists from various cities across the country came there is undeniable. They loved, praised this place, and returned. And the development concept for Malinovka was even discussed with the president himself.

I started studying local groups. Comments from people who asked for the ski resort to be reopened and said the place was «dying out» fueled my professional instinct. I decided to be bolder and dig deeper into what seemed like such a narrow topic. Piece by piece and from scratch, I gathered information about a place I had never been to and knew nothing of its complicated history.

Thus, a substantial and coherent article was born, where I tried to show the tourist interest in Malinovka, had a frank conversation with the entrepreneur who created it all, and told about the grand plans of a former investor that fell through due to a federal scandal. I also managed to discuss the future of the complex with the authorities and, perhaps, to some extent influence it. After all, they plan to revive the ski resort! In my opinion, this is an important step in developing the tourist appeal of the region and Malinovka itself.

Articles read across the country

Many topics by 29.RU journalists have federal potential and are published across the large network of Shkulev Holding portals. But first, I want to highlight an article that appeared only on our site but made it to the shortlist of the independent «Redkollegiya» award. This is a longread about a well-known architectural monument in Arkhangelsk — the dilapidated Kalinin House, which is crumbling before our eyes. I poured my heart into it and wrote with deep empathy about the people who lived there.

It is both a reportage with stunning photos by my colleagues, and emotional monologues from residents who have been fighting for years to restore the mansion, and a full interview with Deputy Governor Dmitry Rozhin — about the program for relocating people from unsafe housing, its funding, and, of course, the future of Kalinin House. His words instill hope that the building will get a second life and not end up as a pile of boards, replaced by yet another new construction.

And this recent article on diverting water from northern rivers to Donbass was also published on other sites of our holding. The topic made headlines nationwide, was widely discussed, and raised many questions. I managed to talk to the initiative«s author himself, the renowned scientist Viktor Danilov-Danilyan. In an interview with 29.RU, the Russian Academy of Sciences academician explained why water needs to be diverted, particularly from the Northern Dvina River to the south, and how feasible it is. Reaching out to federal experts and getting exclusives is a separate kind of dopamine rush for a journalist.

Also distributed across the network was an article on diamond mining in Arkhangelsk Oblast. Our region is the only one in Europe with such deposits. I rarely write on such business topics, and working on this article was not easy. But the result is satisfying: we figured out where the mined precious stones go under sanctions, how promising this industry is, and what the industry brings to the region, even though most of the money from diamond exports flows into the global economy.

Russians also learned about northerner Alina Mayskaya, who lives in Moscow and creates unusual, avant-garde hairstyles. Among her vivid works is an image of Ksenia Sobchak for art advertising. It«s always pleasant to write about talented fellow countrymen and document their achievements. Here, it»s impossible not to be inspired oneself.

Separately, I«ll highlight two of my authorial travel columns that were read across the country. I tried to make them as useful as possible. The first: about a trip to the »Egyptian Maldives« — a relatively new resort for Russians where you don»t have to fear sharks. The second: a review of attractions in St. Petersburg, both popular and lesser-known.

Heartwarming Stories

It«s not always possible to write about something good and bright, without acute problems or conflict. But such topics are also needed and important. Here, first and foremost, I want to mention my dearly beloved article about EMERFS pensioner Vladimir Potanin, who restored a retro bus LAZ-699. Together with our photographer Ivan Mityushov, in my opinion, we made a very cool, stylish piece. And the hero is simply a gift. A pleasant, modest, principled person.

Another positive note is about engineer Denis Korobitsyn, who invented a radio-controlled snowplow machine. An example where passion for a craft meets care for the place where one lives. Constructive, cool, deserving of respect.

Here, I also want to mention one of my last materials of 2025 — about a luxurious mansion, the Makarovs« House. Or rather, about the people who breathed life into this vacant architectural monument. The founder of the art space »Tishina« Yulia Popova and her partner Anastasia Kalinina are creating style and introducing northerners to art: brightly, in a modern way, yet with a touch of nostalgia. I»m sure that soon their brainchild will resonate even louder. I would, of course, like to tell the public about the owners who went through a huge journey to restore the building. But these people don«t seek publicity, which perhaps makes their project even cooler.

Also read about what notable articles my colleague Yuri Skorodumov wrote in 2025.

You can also highlight the best, but among businesses: 29.RU is holding the People«s Award, where city residents decide what makes Arkhangelsk cozier and more convenient. Suggest businesses you deem worthy.