The Economic Times

Gulag prisoners built this town during WW2, it grew into a USSR mining centre of over 10,000 people; before the end of the Soviet era brought its decline in 1996

Once a vibrant Soviet town dedicated to coal mining during World War II, Kadykchan was home to a lively community complete with schools and houses. Its downfall was triggered by the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, further exacerbated by the mine's closure in 1996. Now, it lies deserted, serving as a stark reminder of an economic structure that ultimately crumbled.