VLADIVOSTOK, September 5. /TASS/. Over 5.5 trillion rubles ($61.5 bln) have returned from offshore zones and foreign jurisdictions to the special administrative region (SAR) of Russky Island, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the plenary session of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF-2024).

"A special administrative region has been created on Russky Island, where our meeting is taking place. By the way, this region has already ensured the return of assets worth over 5.5 trillion rubles from offshore zones and foreign jurisdictions to Russia," he said.

Putin stressed that more than a hundred companies have become residents of this zone to date.

The president also noted that Russia has a steadily developing economy, but must always strive to reach new frontiers. "We must always strive to reach new frontiers. Not everything is good all the time. But generally speaking, Russia's economy is certainly developing steadily," the president said.

The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) is underway on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University in Vladivostok on September 3-6, 2024. The main theme of the EEF in 2024 is "Far East 2030. Combining strengths to create new potential."

The EEF is one of the largest international conferences in Russia. It has been held in the Primorsky Region’s Russky Island in Vladivostok since 2015. The Forum is the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who decreed that the event be held annually.

The forum's objectives and goals include promoting the accelerated growth of Russia’s Far East region; assessing its potential for exports; expanding international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific Region; showcasing the investment appeal of the region, its steadily progressing territories, and the Vladivostok free port.

The Roscongress Foundation has served as the Forum’s organizer since 2016. TASS is the general information partner of the EEF.