MOSCOW, April 26. /TASS/. Big businesses invested in development of the Murmansk Region more than 15 billion rubles ($163 million) from 2020 to 2023 showing a fivefold surge against the previous five-year period, the region's Governor Andrey Chibis said at a congress of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in Moscow.

"Over recent five years, in addition to tax deductions, investments in development of cities, territories of industrial companies' presence, where their employees live, have increased fivefold against the previous five-year period," he said. "Many thanks to our partners: Norilsk Nickel, Novatek, Phosagro, Rosatom, Eurochem for their attention to the territories where our residents and their employees live and work."

The regional authorities have signed eight cooperation agreements with big businesses on development of urban areas, he continued. In 2020-2023, as many as 224 events were implemented in the Murmansk Region's seven settlements. Investments have reached 24.4 billion rubles ($265 million), where 15.4 billion rubles have been invested by big companies.