I have been through the regions in modern transport (Unimog and siberian trucks) that Slavamir crossed and cannot even fathom how he survived...then I spent 4 weeks with a bunch of Mongolian herders in the Gobi doing a film for Nat Geo.

Having seen the Gulags, or what remains of them, up close and after speaking with many Eastern russians (Khanty, Sibirs, etc) they are a far different breed than we are...

I once asked a man who walked out of the Canadian Rockies after surviving a plane crash. He splinted his own broken leg, made a crutch and walked out...over 250 miles! He said "I just decided I wasn't going to die" and he didn't.

Willpower is an amazing thing, combined with being raised in extremely harsh conditions and learing how to face adversity is the key.

E ver hear of "The Night Witches"? an all female group of pilots that flew wood and canvas biplanes over German lines doing harassment and interdiction missions on the Eastern Front during WWII. they averaged 10 to 15 missions A NIGHT! They were based 15 flying minutes from the front, flew in 2 person configuration (Pilot & Navigator) with NO GUNS in a plane that burned like a Japanese paper lantern! Many flew over 1500 missions in 4 1/2 years and almost 90% were awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union medals for their service. Now almost all have died of old age but the pictures I have seen they all look like your great granny. 4 1/2 years, no R & R time, 15 missions a night in winter (-10 to 15 deg C) in a P-2 trainer with just a compass and altimeter!

And they called the RAF brave during the Battle of Britian!

Read about the war the Russians fought against the Germans during WWII and even Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal seem like a cakewalk.