Pinega region of Northern Russia is a place where anything has the potential to become “the last” in retrospect. Here’s a bus that suffered this fate.

A simple and bleak offspring of Pavlovo bus factory (PAZ), for decades it served as a key player in the fragile eco-system of villages, giving the people a semblance of freedom of movement. It operated several days a week and connected the district center with a dozen of villages located down the river. It allowed people to travel for such essential necessities as visiting a doctor, buying houseware and clothing, seeing a bank clerk or a lawyer, coming for a summer festival.

A large timber enterprise was built in the area a few years ago. Instead of bringing improvement to the region, it only sucked out the last resources. The bus company that was in charge of public transportation, began providing services for the enterprise. Obviously, the timber magnate pays better than a bunch of starving seniors from the villages.

There is no bus for the villagers anymore. The public transportation is halted altogether. The majority of those who live in the villages don’t own a car, and their last resort when they need to go see a doctor is booking a taxi, but the prices are outrageous. For most people it takes 2-3 round trips to the district center to run out of monthly pension which is their only source of income.