In the depths of the deepest lake in Europe lies a monster feared for centuries. Lake Brosno, in Andreapol district of the Tver region, is the home of Brosnya, a dragon rumored to flip boats and be involved in numerous disappearances. The small fishing community along the shores of the Brosno lives in terror of the creature, the fear traveling all the way to the Volga. One resident of the community, Baba Nadya, is terrified the beast will crawl out of the lake and into her house “any day” Loads of witnesses claim to have seen Brosnya walking in the water. The dragon is said to be about 5 meters in length (16 ft) and iridescent. Also, this dragon glows. Many Ocean creatures are capable of bioluminescence, but it rarely reported in cryptids. The only other glowing cryptids the Duah and the Ropen, believed to be flying predators reported around the world.

In the summer of 2002, Brosno Dragon Experts of the Komsomolsk research association went to Lake Brosno and did an echo deep sounding. Vadim Chernobrov, head of the investigative team said in an interview to the Moscow newspaper Argumenty i Facty (Arguments and Facts):

“Echo deep sounding registered an anomaly. There was a huge jelly-like mass of a railway car size handing five meters above the bottom. The mass stood motionless. We waited for some time and then decided to make it move: we threw an underwater petard, a low capacity explosive device. When the device blew up, the creature started slowly going up. We starred at the water, and it was clear; there was nothing resembling a monster, however something unusual was still felt in the lake water.”

Marina Gavrishenko, the journalist who took part in the expeditions stated: “At first sight, the whole of the monster story looks like a fairytale. After the expedition to Lake Brosno, I do believe that the place is actually mysterious. Stories told by witnesses prove this opinion. We met with local people who were perfectly sane and adequate. What is more, all legends about the mysterious monster trace the roots back to the old times. I am sure that legends and rumors cannot arise from nothing.”

A paleontologist in the region, Nikolai Dikov, has said the pictures and descriptions of Brosnya suggest a supposedly extinct order of reptiles with mammalian teeth. Recently, excavations of old lakes of tetonic origin have discovered evidence Brosnya may be related to the creatures of the prehistoric era. Near the Siberian lake of Sestakovo, paleontologists excavated the bones of a creature exceedingly similar to the description of Brosno.

It is believed the creatures have lived in Lake Brosno for many centuries. One of the legends tells the monster scared the entire Tatar-Mongol army, preventing them from invading Novgorod in the 8th century. According to the story, the Baty-khan stopped for the troops to rest on the side of the lake. The horses were allowed to drink water from the lake and a gigantic creature roared as it began devouring horse and Tatars alike. Other references in the Primary Chronicle include a legend attesting that some enormous mouth devoured fishermen. Chronicles mention some “sand mountain” that emerged above the lake surface every once in a while. Another story says Varangians wanted to hide stolen treasure in the lake, but when they approached, a small island a dragon came and swallowed the entire island. I have studied the Primary Chronicle extensively, although there is a story book quality to the Primary source there is certainly historically valuable and factual information embedded within the Chronicles.

Some people have offered up alternative explanations. One hypothesis involves the gases of hydrogen sulphide. They claim the movement of the gas from the bottom to the top of the lake surface, creates a boiling effect resembling a dragonhead. It would certainly require a substantial amount of hydrogen sulphide to produce this effect. Others believe there is a volcano in Lake Brosno that makes ejections on the water surface from time to time. Why this would be mistaken for a dragon, I can’t say. Several fractures exist at the bottom of the lake, the depth and the direction of which cannot be determined. So, if a volcano did exist it would have to be in one of the fractures. Some people say it must be a mutated beaver instead, I’m guessing they were the sarcastic skeptics.

Keep in mind Lake Brosno is 120-160 meters deep and could very well connect the Sea.For such a creature to survive in the lake it would need access to the Sea for its food supply (unless it is a vegetarian). Such an enormous creature would require more space for breeding as well. The water of the lake is too cold for traditional reptiles to survive so some believe the creature must be a mammal. (Are dragons mammals?)

Whether visitors to Lake Brosno believe in Brosnya or not, they all agree there is an eerie, otherworldly energy to the area. They come away saying if such a thing were to exist, it would be there. Modern day legend says the dragon ate a Nazi plane during WWII. Like the Primary Chronicle, the legend of the dragon is very mythical in nature, but may very well contain truth

More like this:

• Ogopogo
• The Rainbow Serpent
• Plesiosaurs? 
• Monsters of the North
• Creatures of the Deep
• Watch out for Serpents Please
• Ocean Bloop: Giant Monster Howl?

Sources: Russian newspaper Pravda http://english.pravda.ru/science/tech/20-01-2004/4636-monster-1/

photo 1: s686.photobucket.com

photo 2: mysterycasebook.com