A huge annual photography competition aims to capture a year in the life of the biggest country on Earth. The Best of Russia contest attracts thousands of entries from amateur and professional photographers across the country.
The judges of this year's contest have selected 294 winners, across five categories: Nature, People and Daily Life, Style, and Architecture, and a special theme for this year: War and Peace Within Us. The only condition for entry is that photos must have been taken in Russia between September 2014 and November 2015. The images help to give an idea of the scale and diversity of a country so vast it spans 11 time zones.
IBTimes UK presents a selection of the winners. To see all 294 winning photos, go to thebestofrussia.ru/en
Victor Berezkin, Moscow: Victory Day parade in honour of the 70th anniversary of Russia triumphing over the Nazis in the Second World WarVictor Berezkin/Best of RussiaNatalia Skripka, Partizansk, Primorsky Krai: Tired of WarNatalia Skripka/Best of RussiaMitry Moiseenko, Kamchatka Krai: An aerial shot of Klyuchevskaya Sopka, an active stratovolcano and the highest mountain on the Kamchatka PeninsulaMitry Moiseenko/AirPano/Best of RussiaVitaly Novikov, Ura-Guba, Murmansk Oblast: Aurora Borealis in the Murmansk region during the polar night. The vessel is illuminated with a flashlightVitaly Novikov/Best of RussiaVitaly Nevar, Kaliningrad: A child sees God as the people pray on the feast of the Nativity at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in KaliningradVitaly Nevar/Best of RussiaAlexander Kryazhev, Poteryaevka, Altai Krai: Evening prayer at a children's Orthodox camp in honour of the Hieromartyr Clement of AncyraAlexander Kryazhev/Best of RussiaNatalia Garnelis, Moscow: Muslims pray during the festival of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha, at the Moscow Cathedral MosqueNatalia Garnelis/Best of RussiaCyril Uyutnov, Uryung city, Sakha (Yakutia) Republic: An Arctic fox jumps on ice floes and icebergs in the Laptev SeaCyril Uyutnov,/Best of RussiaDenis Degtyarev, Nikolskoye, Kamchatka Krai: A sivush or northern sea lion, the largest representative of the family of eared sealsDenis Degtyarev/Best of RussiaDaria Goritsyna, Saint Petersburg: Carefully You ListenDaria Goritsyna/Best of RussiaDmitry Shirinkin, Sochi: Storm approaching on the seaDmitry Shirinkin/Best of RussiaDaniel Korzhonov, Komi Republic: Mount Otorten in the Northern Urals in winterDaniel Korzhonov/Best of RussiaVitali Voronin, Balandino village, Chelyabinsk Oblast: Two veterans, Petro and Nastya, combined age 183 years. Grandma always patiently listens to his stories.Vitali Voronin/Best of RussiaJuno Kotljarova, Moscow Oblast: TogetherJuno Kotljarova/Best of RussiaYulia Kozlova, Moscow: International Military Music Festival at Spasskaya Tower, Red SquareYulia Kozlova/Best of RussiaAlexander Kadnikov, Kurgan Oblast: Museum in KurganAlexander Kadnikov/Best of RussiaVlad Sidorak, Moscow: TransitionVlad Sidorak/Best of RussiaDmitry Ilyin, Podolsk, Moscow Oblast: A woman prays at the local church on a frosty nightDmitry Ilyin/Best of RussiaPascal Dumont, Moscow: Veteran of the Second World War, the honorary guest at a Victory Day parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Russia triumphing over the Nazis in the Second World WarPascal Dumont/Best of RussiaSergey Savostianov, Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan: Czech diver Michal Navratil competes on the 27-metre platform at the XVI World Aquatic ChampionshipsSergey Savostianov, TASS/Best of RussiaJulia Artemyev, Nizhny Novgorod: Marina Mastyka, a ballerina at the Nizhny Novgorod Theatre of Opera and Ballet, is pictured during a rehearsalJulia Artemyev/Best of RussiaOctavia Kolt, Saint Petersburg: Angelina Vorontsova, prima ballerina, performs on stage at the Mikhailovsky TheatreOctavia Kolt/Best of RussiaLarisa Ivanova, Saint Petersburg: An elderly woman kisses a goat at a dacha at Sinyavino settlement in the Leningrad regionLarisa Ivanova/Best of RussiaTatiana Shibaeva, Yakshanga, Kostroma Oblast: A dog is surrounded by goatsTatiana Shibaeva/Best of RussiaAnton Petrus, Multa, Altai Republic: Air bubbles frozen into the ice over Multinskiye lake, AltaiAnton Petrus/Best of RussiaKirill Sergeev, Baikal, Irkutsk Oblast: A labyrinth made of ice is built on Baikal lake on the day of the Vernal EquinoxKirill Sergeev/Best of RussiaVitaly Ivanov, Hatanga, Krasnoyarsk Krai: The winner of the reindeer herders' race in Taimyr in far northern Russia is covered in iciclesVitaly Ivanov/Best of Russia
