Surgut plane crashes, Batyrgaziev break, Yugra real estate: 4 main stories
Every Saturday we invariably publish a review of the most interesting articles of the week for you—in case you missed something in the work hustle. It«s cold outside today, so pour yourself some tea, get comfortable under a blanket, and choose what to read this weekend.
«First a spike in activity, then—a lull.» What awaits the real estate market in Yugra (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) in 2026
Following the news of a 2% VAT hike in Russia, a rise in real estate prices is expected, as both labor and construction materials will become more expensive. Experts say the increase in the primary housing market could be 5–7%. Some buyers may then opt for the secondary market—and due to increased demand, it could become more expensive as well.
Furthermore, upcoming changes to the family mortgage program also underpin the price increase for new-build apartments. Starting February 1, parents applying for it must be co-borrowers. This means a couple cannot take out two separate mortgages each. Read more in our article.
Icy trap: the story of two air disasters that occurred in Yugra (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) 9 days apart
Fifty-five years ago in Surgut, two terrible air disasters occurred one after the other. With a difference of nine days, An-12 planes crashed. Initially, nothing foreshadowed trouble: the aircraft were covering short distances for cargo transportation. But upon approaching for landing, the airliners vanished from radar.
Later, the investigation would reveal the crashes happened according to the same pattern—due to icing, which caused a loss of control. The victims numbered 21 people—no one survived. We recall the chronicle of those events.
«I»m not saying goodbye«: what happened to famous Yugra boxer Batyrgaziev, who took a break at the peak of his career
In 2021 at the Tokyo Olympics, the world heard the name of Albert Batyrgaziev from Nizhnevartovsk. At 18, the young man fulfilled his dream and began boxing. And just five years later, he won Olympic gold.
After a series of successful amateur fights, Albert turned professional. With sharp, honed punches, he knocked out one champion after another, never losing. Batyrgaziev became an IBA champion, a holder of the WBA interim belt, and the authoritative magazine The Ring included him in the top 10 ranking of junior lightweight boxers.
But in the summer of 2025 in Istanbul, the Nizhnevartovsk native suffered his first defeat. Batyrgaziev«s corner seriously feared for his health in that fight and was forced to throw in the towel. After half a year of silence, the champion announced he was taking a break from his professional career. He is only 28—the peak age for a boxer. We look back at Batyrgaziev»s rise, what happened then in Turkey, and what he is doing now in this article.
«The body had turned black, the cloth and coverlet were decayed»: how the grave of Prince Menshikov has been sought in Yugra for hundreds of years
In 1727, the closest associate of Peter I, Prince Alexander Menshikov, was accused of embezzlement of state funds and official misconduct, exiled to Siberia, to the Berezovsky Ostrog (fortress). Today it is known to us as the Yugra settlement of Berezovo.
The generalissimo lived just over a year in exile. Menshikov died on November 12, 1729, at the age of 56. He was buried on a hillside near the altar part of the church he had built in Berezovo. Rumors said a chapel was erected over the grave, which burned down in 1764 along with the church. Menshikov«s grave was not found—for a long time, it was believed it had been washed away by the Severnaya Sosva River.
But in 2026, scientist Sergey Turov from Tyumen made a new sensational statement. His research allows him to point with a high degree of accuracy to the burial site of His Serene Highness Prince Menshikov. In this article we recall how Menshikov«s grave was searched for over the years, how his remains were confused with a woman»s, and what has now become known.
