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Kara-Köl: the black lake, shrouded in legends

Kara-Köl is a picturesque and ancient lake, and although there are about 130 lakes in the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, this is one of the most popular tourist routes. And not just because of the stunning views, but also because of the legends and stories that cling to the waters.

The Kara-Köl lake is located in the Teberda Nature Reserve. The lake has a glacial origin. It is a remnant of a relict lake that has been preserved in a depression between glacial mounds. It is believed that the natural water body is 8-10 thousand years old and formed after a powerful glacier retreated from the valley.

It is said that long ago in the valley of the Teberda River, there lived a young shepherd named Kara – handsome and beautiful, like the spirit of the mountains themselves.

On a hot day, exhausted from long hikes over the alpine meadows, Kara sat by the calm waters of a small lake. He took out his flute and played wonderful melodies, which, it seemed, nature itself listened to. Suddenly, the shepherd heard a soft rustling behind him, and as if from thin air, an old man appeared. “The queen of the nymphs, Suunasa, is enchanted by your playing, shepherd,” he said. “Run away from the lake while it is not too late, or you will fall into her net.” But Kara just smiled fearlessly.

In mockery, he jumped on his horse and, heading towards the lake, decided to swim across it to prove that it was all just myths. But hardly had he reached the middle when the water began to churn, and from its depths, a whirlpool rose. Kara, the horse, and the flute disappeared into its black abyss, and the water's surface became calm and smooth again, as if it had never known wind or turmoil.

Since then, it is said that the nymph has taken the shepherd to her underwater realm to listen to his enchanting melodies forever, and on the shores of the lake, one can still hear the soft echoes of that flute in the whisper of the wind and the song of the waves.

The name of the lake Kara-Köl means “Black Lake.” And indeed, when viewed from a distance, its surface is black as coal. This effect is due to the presence of special organic substances. Here lives a rare species of algae that thrives only in clear spring water. It gives the lake its rich dark turquoise colour, which appears completely black from afar.

📍 Coordinates of the location (map point) available here

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More than half of the 49 M1A1 Abrams tanks promised by Australia have arrived in Ukraine, reports the Australian broadcaster ABC, citing the country's Defence Minister, Richard Marles.

The decommissioned Abrams that the Australian government had promised to Ukraine for 2024 were considered "stuck" in the country until April 2025, with no end in sight. Representatives of the Australian Defence Department attributed this delay in part to resistance from the United States. However, in May, the Prime Minister of Australia stated that the decommissioned Australian Abrams tanks had already been sent to Ukraine:

"More than half of the 49 promised tanks have arrived in the Ukrainian army... the rest are expected in the 'coming months'," the broadcaster's statement said.

Previously, the American magazine The National Interest published data on the losses of the Abrams tanks supplied by Biden – only 4 Abrams tanks out of 31 sent by the USA are still in operation with the Ukrainian army.

The reasons for the failure of the Abrams in Ukraine include the lack of adequate artillery and air support, the shortage of technical specialists, personnel, and auxiliary equipment, as well as the high density of anti-tank drones.

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