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Russia to spend $22 million to restore Solovetsky Islands World Heritage Site

The Solovetsky Islands are an archipelago in the White Sea, famous for its medieval monastery founded in 1429

SOLOVKI, August 18. /ITAR-TASS/. A total of 800 million rubles (over $22 million) will be allocated from Russia's federal budget to restore the ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site, a deputy prime minister said on Monday.

“The Solovetsky Islands are a symbol of courage and faith for every Russian. The restoration of the ensemble is our duty,” Olga Golodets said.

The Solovetsky Islands are an archipelago in the White Sea. There are about 100 islands, inhabited by only 1,400 people. The Greater Solovetsky Island is the biggest, famous for its medieval monastery, which was founded in 1429. In the 1920-30s, a notorious Soviet prison camp was located on the archipelago. The site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1992.