MURMANSK, March 28. /TASS/. Russia will adopt a long-term comprehensive program for development of the Russian Federation Arctic Zone's backbone territories. The master plans provide for necessary infrastructures in the Arctic, First Deputy Minister for Development of the Far East and Arctic Gadzhimagomed Guseynov said.
"We have been working on a single strategic document, a long-term comprehensive program for the development of backbone territories [of the Russian Federation's Arctic Zone], where all settlements will be listed. Huge investments. The Arctic has not received enough. In line with the master plans, we must eliminate distortions, and the Arctic regions must have necessary infrastructures," he said at the Arctic: Territory of Dialogue Forum's session on backbone settlements.
Not all projects in the Arctic may be implemented in shifts. "Master plans are not just architectural plans or urban planning, they are a strategy for the development of an agglomeration, specifying which projects will develop the economy. It is planned to allocate 3.7 trillion rubles ($44 billion) for implementation of all master plans, and the biggest part there is off-budget funds. Per 1 invested budget ruble, we plan 10-12 off-budget rubles," he said.
Key directions are the Baim mining zone in Chukotka, a petrochemical cluster in Komi's Vorkuta, the Belomorsk transport and logistics hub in Karelia, and gas condensate projects in the Nenets Autonomous Region. "They are forming the framework of agglomerations. Throughout the Northern Sea Route, from Murmansk to Anadyr, we connect these settlements to create infrastructures, centers where people live and will live to ensure these transport and logistics infrastructures in the future," he continued.
Changes, master plans and higher quality of life
In December 2023, the Russian government listed 16 major Arctic settlements, for which began work to make master plans for the period up to 2035. During the discussion at the forum, First Deputy Minister of Construction Alexander Lomakin said due to the change in priorities the master plans would have to be adjusted and will include the resettlement from emergency housing and upgrade of housing and communal services.
In the Russian Federations' Arctic Zone have been selected 67 backbone settlements where 1.8 million people live, and in the Far East - 192 settlements with the population of more than 7 million people. The Arctic climatic conditions have an impact both on construction and on communications. "Our task is to give an impetus so that everyone could feel improvements," he added.
Roman Trotsenko, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AEON Corporation, which is building airports and a seaport in the Arctic Zone, said better living conditions are a key aspect in attracting personnel. "We have been doing a lot in the Arctic, and we can see it requires high performance discipline. It's not about hiring just anyone. Therefore, work in the Arctic is hard and it requires a special approach, special people, a high quality of life, so that good specialists stayed there and did not move to other places," he added.
About backbone settlements and about the forum
The list of 16 Arctic backbone settlements and agglomerations in nine regions includes: Kem, Belozersk (Karelia), Vorkuta (Komi), Tiksi, Naiba (Yakutia), Norilsk, Dudinka, Dixon and Igarka (the Krasnoyarsk Region), Arkhangelsk (the Arkhangelsk Region), Murmansk, Kirov, Apatity and Monchegorsk (the Murmansk Region), Naryan-Mar (the Nenets Autonomous Region), Pevek and Anadyr (the Chukotka Autonomous Region), Novy Urengoy, Noyabrsk and Salekhard-Labytnangi (the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region).
The sixth International Arctic Forum was held in the Murmansk Region for the first time. The Forum serves as a platform for discussing the socio-economic development of the Arctic territories, including multilateral strategies for how to harness the region’s vast resources.
A key focus was the Northern Sea Route’s expansion, coinciding with the 500th anniversary of its exploration.
TASS was the information partner of the forum.