Polar temperatures prevailed in parts of Russia today, with the thermometer in Siberia dropping to -58 degrees Celsius.

Yakutsk, one of the world’s coldest cities located about 5,000 km east of Moscow, was shrouded in icy clouds and fog, drone footage showed.

“I came to Yakutsk specifically to experience this kind of weather – so I’m lucky because December usually doesn’t have such conditions,” said Danila, whose beard, hat and scarf were covered in ice.

“I don’t get so cold because I was properly prepared,” he declared. “If I hadn’t put on the right clothes, I would have frozen within minutes.”

He stated that his coat ‘boned’ due to the extreme temperatures and his phone battery died within minutes. To protect oneself one should wear two pairs of gloves as well as layered clothing.

Temperatures in parts of the Sakha Republic, a vast region slightly smaller than India in northeastern Siberia, fell well below -55 overnight.

In Oymyakon, a settlement in Saha, the thermometer showed -58° Celsius today. According to meteorologists the cold will be -63° given the humidity and winds.

In the Yakutsk market, fish are sold frozen, placed in dozens of packages, as it is obvious that they do not need a freezer to preserve them. The vendors wore huge fur hats to protect themselves from the cold.

“It’s cold,” said Piotr, a local resident. “You just have to have the right quality of clothes and then everything will be fine. The main thing is to move constantly to keep the blood circulating.”