Mon. Feb 17th, 2025

News – Russian Government


In Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister – Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative to the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev opened a visiting meeting to summarize the work on the socio-economic development of the Far East in 2024 and priority tasks for 2025 (January hearings).

“We traditionally gather with the heads of regions, the leadership of the Ministry for the Development of the Far East and Arctic, and development institutions to see if we are doing everything right, whether our work always corresponds to the existing challenges and the situation in which the country finds itself today. I ask everyone present to never forget that it is our responsibility to improve the quality of life of the 10.5 million citizens of the Russian Federation in the Far East and the Arctic. We must work not just well, but very well in the period of time in which we now live,” Yuri Trutnev opened the meeting.

First Deputy Minister for Development of the Far East and Arctic Gadzhimagomed Guseinov informed about the development of housing construction in the Far Eastern Federal District. In 2024, 4.7 million square meters were commissioned in the district. m of housing (2% more than in 2023). For the first time, the cost of housing was below the Russian average by 12%. The main factor in the growth of housing construction and the reduction in its cost was the launch, at the initiative of the President of Russia, of the Far Eastern Mortgage, Far Eastern Quarter and Far Eastern Rental programs. Under the Far Eastern Quarter program, competitive procedures were carried out in seven regions of the Far Eastern Federal District and developers were identified at seven of the eight sites. The total potential of the sites is 2.3 million square meters. m of housing, which will provide 83 thousand Far Eastern residents with comfortable housing. Construction has begun on four of the seven sites. Under the “Affordable Rental Housing” program, 12 thousand apartments were purchased, and 282 families were occupied. These are mainly young, sought-after specialists and members of the CBO.

One of the main indicators of the socio-economic development of the Far East is the improvement of the quality of life of Far Eastern residents. The growth of federal and regional investments in the socio-economic development of regions through special mechanisms and tools provides measurable improvements. The implementation of master plans for 25 Far Eastern cities has begun. The Far Eastern urban improvement competition has been extended until 2030. “People immediately see the effect of renovation when new parks, squares, children’s and sports grounds appear. One of the most important tools for the implementation of master plans was a special Far Eastern landscaping competition. This year it was possible to extend it until 2030, making it part of the national project “Infrastructure for Life”. 90 new parks, squares, and embankments have already been built. The number of projects per year has quadrupled. Our task is to involve all municipalities in the competition so that the urban environment changes in all settlements of the Far East,” said Deputy Head of the Ministry of Eastern Development Elvira Nurgalieva.

Among the important development tools, she highlighted the Far Eastern Mortgage program, extended until 2030, the Hektar program, and updating social infrastructure with the help of a single presidential subsidy.

Deputy Head of the Ministry of Eastern Development Vitaly Altabaev spoke about improving the investment climate through financial and administrative support for projects in the Far Eastern Federal District and the Russian Arctic. Among the main tasks are supporting projects that are in the investment phase, their support, and attracting new investors. Comprehensive plans are specially developed for large investment projects. The Far Eastern concession provides additional opportunities. During the year it is planned to form at least 12 concession projects using this mechanism. Priority in support will be given to technological development projects, tourism projects and projects to modernize airfield infrastructure and supply aircraft.

Investors in the Far East are taking advantage of preferential regimes. Thanks to government support, 220 enterprises were put into operation during the year.

One of the measures to support investment projects is preferential financing from VEB.RF through the Ministry of Eastern Development. In 2024, within the framework of this mechanism, financing of 17 new projects with a total volume of more than 220 billion rubles was approved; their implementation will ensure the creation of more than 2 thousand jobs in the macroregion. “The projects are aimed at stimulating the tourism industry, improving the urban environment, updating public transport and modernizing airport infrastructure. In general, from the moment of its launch, the preferential financing mechanism will make it possible to implement projects with a total value of more than 1.6 trillion rubles. The priority for 2025 will be to support projects with high economic efficiency, with a special focus on projects in the field of technology and tourism. Together with the Ministry of Eastern Development we are working on additional instruments for financing projects,” said Deputy Chairman of VEB.RF Artyom Dovlatov.

Managing partner of the fund, Ruslan Sarkisov, reported on the work of the Voskhod venture fund. Over the three years of operation, more than 30 projects worth about 5 billion rubles received funds from the fund. Support was received by both companies with a proven business model and startups that are just bringing their solutions to the commercial market. Last year, the fund attracted an additional 8 billion rubles from institutional and retail investors into the fund’s capital, and among this, a joint fund with funds from private investors was launched in partnership with T-Bank and Alfa Bank for 4 billion rubles, as well as a fund with Yakutia by 300 million rubles. The first projects from the joint fund have already received funding. The Voskhod Foundation works with projects based on a strong technological core, since the challenges of the modern economy require complex technological solutions. Among the major priority areas with which the fund works, Ruslan Sarkisov highlighted robotics, space, biotechnology, as well as projects initiated by the fund from within in promising market niches that can have a positive impact on the economy of Russia and, in particular, the Far East.

At the meeting, issues of legal support for the rapid development of the Far East and the Arctic were discussed. In total, the legislative framework consists of 83 federal laws and more than 700 by-laws. In 2024, 7 federal laws and 47 by-laws were adopted. Thanks to the correction in the legislative field, it has become possible to flexibly apply the benefit on insurance premiums, which is provided to residents of the ASEZ in the Far Eastern Federal District and FPV, who received the status before January 1, 2023. As part of the free customs zone procedure, it has become possible to increase, by application, the terms of transportation of goods placed under the free customs zone procedure to the resident’s site. Now residents determine the required transit period themselves and declare it to the customs authorities. The zero VAT rate on air travel to the Far East has been extended until 2028. The SEZ in the Magadan region will last until 2046. The Arctic zone has been expanded – two municipal districts of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug have been included, and in December the President of Russia signed a law on the inclusion of these regions in the Hektar program in the Arctic.

The development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) was analyzed. As Vladimir Panov, special representative of the Rosatom state corporation for the development of the Arctic, deputy chairman of the State Commission for Arctic Development, noted, cargo traffic along the Northern Sea Route in 2024 amounted to 37.9 million tons, exceeding the previous record result by more than 1.6 million tons. In 2024, a record number of transit flights were made – 92, a record was set for transit cargo – more than 3 million tons (almost one and a half times more than in 2023). With the support of specialists from the Federal State Budgetary Institution GlavSevmorput, in 2024, the largest container ship in history, Flying Fish 1 (ice class – ICE 1, length – 294 m, draft – 12.3 m, cargo capacity – 4843 TEU), passed through the NSR. The ship crossed the border of the Northern Sea Route in the area of ​​Cape Zhelaniya and left in the area of ​​Cape Dezhnev, passing the water area in less than six days.

This year, the crews of nuclear icebreakers of FSUE Atomflot and specialists from GlavSevmorput provided 976 icebreaker assistance, and provided information and navigation support services to 72 vessels. Unique icebreaker support was carried out in difficult ice conditions for dredgers under the Chinese flag from the east to the Gulf of Ob (Tong Heng and Tong Yuan) and ensured the exit of ships from the port of Pevek due to delays in unloading ships (a total of 23 ships were withdrawn). This year, Chinese shipping companies have almost doubled the number of voyages along the Northern Sea Route (from 7 in 2023 to 13 in 2024).

“Our team from the ministry and development institutions reported in detail on all areas for which we are responsible. The results of the work, priorities and challenges were discussed – under conditions of tight monetary policy and external restrictions. As well as new strategic opportunities that have brought fundamental changes to the territories of the Far East over the past few years. Among them is the unprecedentedly increased importance of the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District for trade, logistics, investment, and technology,” summed up the Minister for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov.

Summing up the meeting, Yuri Trutnev emphasized that every head of the region, every official and employee of the development institutions of the Far East and the Arctic must work, understanding the full degree of responsibility to the territory and the entire country.

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