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Shipping has no negative impact on Arctic ecosystem — minister

Russia will pursue a balanced policy and will discourage any attempts to restrain the development of the Russian Arctic, Alexey Chekunkov went on to say

MOSCOW, May 22. /TASS/. The development of shipping, including the use of nuclear-powered vessels, does not have a negative impact on the Arctic ecosystem, Minister for Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov said.

"We have a unique icebreaking fleet, and attempts of international organizations, which have been recognized as undesirable, and of many others, to attack us in terms of environmental risks, are not always based on facts. Rosatom has ordered studies to see the impact of shipping on the Arctic ecosystem, and results show that our shipping, especially by nuclear-powered vessels, does not affect the Arctic ecosystem in any way," he told the State Duma.

Russia will pursue a balanced policy and will discourage any attempts to restrain the development of the Russian Arctic, he continued. "We have a notion "Northern Supplies," but never did we have "Northern cleanup," and this approach which would be included into the state information system that is being created. We will monitor containers used to deliver energy resources to the Arctic, <...> to ensure that these containers do not remain in the Arctic," the minister added.

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