Commentary
Maksim Dankin: Arctic cities are laboratories, not just places to live
Why are the North and the Arctic different worlds and concepts, and why is competition between cities more dangerous than their cooperation? Every city in the Far North is historically formed as a specialized testing ground for testing unique systems of extraction, energy, and monitoring – it is forced to be an innovative center, otherwise...
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Olga Startseva: Three key results of the «North Pole – 42» expedition
SP-42 enabled long-term environmental monitoring in previously inaccessible Arctic latitudes The «North Pole – 42» expedition, which began on September 30, 2024, concluded on July 12, 2026, when the research vessel North Pole (Severny Polyus), guided by the nuclear icebreaker Arktika, reached open water. Over 21 months of drifting in the central Arctic, the vessel...
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Alexei Tsykarev: How the Cali Fund Will Change Financing for Ecosystem Biodiversity Conservation
Russia’s participation in multilateral financial mechanisms for biodiversity promises additional opportunities for Indigenous peoples but requires critical reflection From October 19 to 30, 2026, Yerevan will host the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) – a pivotal political summit aimed at uniting world leaders, ecologists, and experts...
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Mikhail Cherosov: «The Rights of Arctic Peoples Must Not Become the Price for the Green Transition»
Yakutia’s experience with ethnological expert reviews offers an example of the right balance between the country’s economic development goals and preserving the ancestral habitat and traditional way of life of Indigenous peoples The growing global demand for critical minerals for green energy and technologies is putting intense pressure on Indigenous lands and threatens to infringe...
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Olga Buch: Why Norilsk Nickel is Moving Palladium Production from Norilsk to the Murmansk Region
The decision will improve metal recovery, accelerate production processes, and reduce costs; optimizing the production chain will strengthen Russia’s position as a strategic player in the global palladium market Norilsk Nickel is restructuring its precious metals production chain. Starting in July 2026, the processing of intermediate products will be transferred from the Norilsk Copper Plant...
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Andrei Trenin: «India Discovers Russian Rare Earth Metals»
For India, entering Russia is a continuation of its consistent policy of diversifying REE supplies and reducing dependence on China The authorities of Yakutia expect to make progress soon on developing the Tomtor rare earth metals (REM) deposit, possibly in cooperation with diamond miner ALROSA, the region’s head Aisen Nikolayev said at a meeting with...
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Irina Strelnikova: On South Korea’s Interests in the Arctic
The Northern Sea Route for Seoul is a tool for enhancing competitiveness, a factor in fleet modernization, and a guarantee that the country will remain a key link in global trade amid a changing climate In May 2026, South Korea adopted a special law regulating the country’s participation in the development of the Northern Sea...
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Interview – Alexey Fadeev
«The EU’s decision to completely ban the purchase and import of Russian gas is a challenge not only for Russia, but for Europe itself» For now, supplies of Yamal gas allow European countries to avoid significant financial losses from purchasing expensive American LNG at spot prices According to unofficial but corroborated data from various sources,...
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