Often I was asked, if I have the updated information on business and investment opportunities. Yes, I have one, but in the form of the official Republic of Sakha-Yakutia investment guidebook.

Follow the link “Read more” to find the updated region economy information with infographs and photographs taken by Yakutia-Sakha News Agency and, certainly, download the English version of the investment guidebook with the full list of available regional investment projects.

YAKUTIA GENERAL INFO

Yakutia lies in the north-eastern part of Asia stretching 2,000 km north-south and 2,500 km eastwest.

The area of 3,102 thousand square kilometers covers one fifth of the total area of Russia and is equal to 2/3 of Western Europe’s territory.

Over 40% of Yakutia lies beyond the Arctic Circle.

It spans three time zones (UTC +9, +10, +11).

Yakutsk, the capital of the republic, is 8,468 km away from Moscow.

Yakutia has borders with seven entities of the Russian Federation: on the west — Krasnoyarsk Krai, on the south-west and south — Irkutsk Oblast and Amur Oblast, Zabaikalsky Krai, on the south-east — Khabarovsk Krai, on the east — Magadan Oblast and Chukotka Autonomous District.

The state authority is executed by President, the State Assembly (Il Tyumen), the Constitution and Supreme Courts.

The supreme legislative body is the State Assembly (Il Tyumen).

The supreme executive body is Government of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia).

The highest executive official and head of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is President of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia).

As of January 1, 2011, there are 445 municipal units, including 34 municipal regions, 2 urban districts and 409 urban and rural settlements.

According to the interim data of the All-Russian 2010 Census, the population of the republic makes 958,3 thousand people, including urban population making 64.1% and rural population – 35.8%. The republic is home to 126 nationalities, including the Yakuts – 45.5%; Russians – 41.2%; Ukrainians – 3.6%; Evenks – 1.9%; and Evens- 1.2%. The population density in the republic makes 0.3 people per sq.km.

Yakutia enjoys the variety of natural conditions: its continental climate shows up in the air temperature fluctuation range reaching 100 degrees Centigrade.

The republic is home to the pole of Cold of the northern hemisphere, with the lowest temperature registered at 71.2 degrees C.

Social and Economic Situation

Natural resources

Almost the entire territory of Yakutia is situated in the permafrost area. 72% of the republic’s territory is covered by taiga, the rest – by forest-tundra, tundra, and the Arctic desert. Forests cover 47% of the territory, making up 11% of all-Russia reserves. Yakutia has preserved many places of pristine nature. This unparalleled environment is home for rare animal and bird species.

There are over 700 thousand rivers, which exceed 10 km, flowing in the republic, with 314 of them being over 100 km long. The Kolyma, Indigirka and the Lena River’s major tributaries – Olyokma, Aldan and Vilyui – surpass almost all the European rivers, including the Rhine and Elba, by their length and water volume.

The Lena River, the republic’s major waterway, is among the ten greatest rivers of the world. There are over 800 thousand lakes with water surface exceeding 1 ha each. The waters are abundant in rich fish resources – over 90 species.

The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) ranks first in the Russian Federation by total reserves of natural resources. Its raw material potential is estimated at RUR 78.4 trillion.

Economy structure

The economy is based on export-oriented industry connected with development of abundant natural resources. GRP is also influenced by construction, commerce, transport and communications, agriculture, and social services.

Industrial production mostly depends on nonferrous metallurgy (mining of diamonds and gold), as well as fuel and energy complex (coal mining, oil and gas extraction). They account for over 70% in the total volume of Yakutia’s own production.

Major economic parameters trend

Over the period from 2005 to 2010, the socioeconomic situation in the republic was marked by the real growth of major macroeconomic parameters: gross regional product (116.2% in 2010 against 2005 level), transport cargo turnover (102.9%), commodity circulation (132.5%), fee-based services rendered to the population (129.3%).

The following agricultural industries remain traditional for people in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia): beef and milk cattle breeding, droving horse-breeding for meat, reindeer herding, and farming. The republic has the largest cattle stock in the Far East. In the northern areas people practice hunting, trapping, fishery, and fur farming. Due to the large share of rural population in the republic (35.8%), the government takes numerous measures to support agriculture.

Investments into fixed capital

The period 2005-2010 witnessed implementation of several large-scale investment projects of great significance for Yakutia and the entire Russia, as well.

Major indicators of the Sakha Republic‘s socioeconomic development by 2030 (according to the innovative scenario):

• GRP growth per capita at parity of the purchasing power up to USD 48 thousand (90% to the level of OECD countries);

• real GRP growth in 2011-2030 by 3 times, including in 2011-2020 – 1,9, in 2021-2030 – 1,6;

• increase of the average expected life expectancy to 73,3 years;

• growth of actual disposable income of population by 4 times compared with 2010;

• reduction of the population poverty to 6,3%.

• reduction of general unemployment level to 3,5% to EAP, level of registered unemployment to 3% to EAP;

• growth of provision of 1 citizen of the republic with total usable housing to 34,05 sq.m.;

• reduction of hazardous dwelling share to 2,03%;

• gas supply coverage of 76% of the republic’s population;

• increase of the share of population having acess to centralized water supply and disposal to 69%;

• elimination of hazardous schools by 2030;

• fully meeting the demand for preschool institutions for the children aged 3-6 by 2030;

• double reduction of the share of hazardous healthcare buildings;

• bringing year-round transport accessibility to 73% of the area. Growth of transport mobility of the population by 3 times;

• completion by 2014 of transfer to rendering public services electronically;

• increase of Internet use density to 85 people per 100 people.

INVESTMENT CLIMATE

Click the image to see the infograph in large size.

By the Russian President commission, the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) has developed the Scheme of integrated development of labor forces, transport and power industry in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) till the year 2020. The scheme outlines strategic priorities
and directions aimed at effective use of unique raw material potential of the republic.

All the major investment projects are included into the Strategy of social and economic development of the Russian Far East and Baikal area till the year 2025.

In the long-term (within the innovative scenario in 2011 – 2030) RUR 5,5 trillion of investment will be attracted to the fixed capital in the prices of the respected
years.

Creation of favorable and sustainable investment climate in the region is one of the main tasks of the Sakha Government. The Program of forming a favorable investement climate in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is implemented; it is aimed at improving the regulatory legal base in the field of investment activity, creating and development of investment infrastructure, reduction of administrative barriers, formation of new mechanisms to attract investments, formation of favorable conditions to diversify production and promotion of innovative technologies to the market.

Due to the sustainable socioeconomic development, international rating agencies increase the credit rating of the republic regularly.

In October 2010 Fitch Ratings confirmed long-term ratings of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in foreign and national currency at “BB” level, with the short-term rating of the region on foreign currency at “B”. Also, the agency confirmed the republic’s long-term national rating “AA-(rus)” level.

The forecast for all long-term ratings is amended to “Positive”.

In May 2011 Standard and Poor’s International Rating Agency confirmed the republic’s credit rating at “BB-/Positive/ruAA-”.

The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is one of the leaders of the Russian Federation by both the number of investment projects to be implemented on its territory and the volume of investments.

Priorities include enhancement of transport and power infrastructure of the republic, hydro and heat generation of power for exploitation of natural resources in the economy.

In accordance with the Scheme of intergarted development of labor forces, transport and power industry in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) till the year 2020, the republic is constructing a railway to the city of Yakutsk with a bridge across the Lena River; in future it is expected to reach the border with Magadan Oblast.

The republic is creating all-year-round network of federal and republic’s motorways with the major logistic hub in the city of Yakutsk; it is also modernizing the airplane and river fleet. There is a plan to connect central, western and southern parts of the republic by power transmission lines, to construct economical power stations.

As a result of these changes in infrastructure, by the year 2020 weight-average cost of bringing one ton of cargo to the regions of the republic would halve and the power tariffs would equal with the average all-Russian level.

In accordance with order of the Russian Government of 10 March 2009 No. 302-r, there started implementation of the first stage on designing documentation for “Integrated Development of Southern Yakutia” investment project. Since the launch of the project, it has received for preparatory and pre-project works RUR 24,2 billion, including RUR 16.5 billion of private investments, RUR 7.25 billion – from the Investment Fund of the Russian Federation. The project includes the following sites: Kankun hydropower station (OAO “RusHydro”, OAO “Yuzhno-Yakutsky GEK”), Yakutsk Center for gas production (OAO “Gazprom”), Elkonsky mining and smelting plant (OAO “Atomredmetzoloto”, ZAO “Elkonsky GMK”), Inaglinsky coal complex (OOO “Kolmar”, ZAO “Yakutskie ugli – new technologies”), Tarynakh and Tayozhny GOKs (mining and processing plants) (OAO “GMK “Timir”), Seligdar mining and chemical plants (OAO “ALROSA Investment Group”), 270 km of railways, 150 km of motorways, 1,200 km of power transmission lines and 7 substations.

The project creates conditions for attracting investments into Southern and Western Yakutia, for realization of projects in related industries. Besides, in Southern Yakutia OAO “Mechel” will develop Elga cola deposit with balance reserves at 2.1 billion tons. A similar cluster approach is applied to a number of other megaprojects: “Integrated development of Tomponsky mining industrial region”. With the use of private investments,
this project includes development of Nezhdaninskoe gold deposit, Verkhne-Menkechenskoe silver and polymetals deposit, as well as construction of Dzhebariki-Khaya heat power station, 3 power lines and 2 substations.

“Integrated development of Western Yakutia”.

This comprehensive investment project includes development of oil and gas fields; construction of pipelines; construction of underground diamond mines; building Vilyui motorway; building motorways and power transmission lines connecting Yakutia with
Irkutsk Oblast.

The Eastern Gas Program of the Russian Federation Government includes development of Chayanda-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok and launching the development of Yakutia gas center with the development of Chayanda-Botuobinskaya group of gas fields.

Legislation regulating investment activity in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)

Federal normative acts:

1. Federal Law of 25 February, 1999 No. 39 “On investment activity in the Russian Federation, performed in the form of capital investments”;

2. Federal Law of 21 July, 2005 No. 115 “On concession agreements”;

3. Federal Law of 22 July, 2005 No. 116 “On special economic zones in the Russian Federation”;

4. Federal Law of 9 July, 1999 No. 160-ФЗ “On foreign investments in the Russian Federation”;

5. Federal Law of 29 April, 2008 No. 57 “On procedure of foreign investments into economic entities of strategic importance for defense and national
security”;

6. Federal Law of 29 October, 1998 No. 164 “On financial rent (leasing)”;

7. Federal Law of 30 December, 1995 No. 225 “On agreements about production division”;

8. Federal Law of 30 December, 2004 No. 210 “On tariff regulation in communal service institutions”;

9. Federal Law of 14 April 1995, No. 41-ФЗ “On state regulation of tariffs for electric and heat power in the Russian Federation”;

The Republic’s normative acts:

1. The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Law of 30 May, 2006 347-З No. 709-III “On investment activity in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia); amendments to the Law are to be approved before the end of 2011.

2. The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Law of 22 December, 1992 No. 1270-XII “On foreign investments in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia); amendments to the Law are to be approved before the end of 2011.

3. The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Law of 10 July, 2003 No. 48-З No. 97-III “On taxation policy in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia);

4. Draft Law of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) “On Public-Private Partnership in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is to be approved before the end of 2011”;

5. Program on creating a favorable investment climate in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) approved by the Resolution of the Sakha Republic Government of July 1, 2011 No. 286.

6. Resolution of the Sakha Republic Government of 26 April, 2007 No. 171 “On adopting a procedure of approving investment programs of regulated organizations”;

7. Resolution of the Sakha Republic Government of 30 June, 2005 No. 404 «”On procedure and terms of forming the united registrar of capital investment objects in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)”;

8. Resolution of the Sakha Republic Government of 30 June, 2005 No. 403 “On establishing criteria for long-term termination of financing investment projects from the state budget of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)”.

Tax incentives

One of the forms of investment activity state regulation is to establish favorable conditions by providing tax incentives.

In compliance with the Law of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) “On investment activity in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)”, the subjects of investment activity may seek the following tax incentives:

• on the income tax of the organizations in the form of reduction by four percentage points of the rate of income tax to be paid to the state budget of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia);

• on the property tax of the organizations in terms of the property newly created, purchased or reconstructed (upgraded) to implement an investment project, and (or) in terms of the property provided for temporary ownership or use in compliance with the financial leasing agreement, and (or) in terms of the property purchased in compliance with the financial leasing agreement;

• on transport tax in relation to vehicles used to implement an investment project.

The incentives can be provided for five years from the start of an investemt project implementation.

In order to stimulate and modernize water supply and draining, the tax benefit has been established for enterprises dealing with withdrawal, treatment and distribution of water and investing capital for these goals.

In order to stimulate investment activity of oil producing enterprises, the republic has lowered the income tax going to the regional budget from 18% to 13.5%, on condition that the capital is invested for development of natural resources.

In order to ensure timely supply of the Far North and other territories with limited access with necessary resources during the navigation period, and to improve financial situation at water transport enterprises,operating sea-river type vessels, the abovementioned enterprises pay lower income tax at the rate of 13.5% and are exempted from corporate property tax.

Due to seasonal nature of their activity, water transport enterprises are exempted from paying the property tax on their property which is conserved or idle; forestry and timber industry enterprises – on their property which is conserved.

Also, enterprises generating electric power with diesel stations in the north are exempted from the property tax if this activity earns over 70% of the total revenues from production (works, services) sale.

In order to support local manufacturing in terms of basic production assets, food industry enterprises pay the benefit property tax at 1.1% rate.

Airports with property worth more than RUR 300 million are also exempted from the property tax. This benefit is aimed at modernizing and reconstructing airport facilities, better working conditions and labor safety.

To support airworthiness of aircarfts, air transport enterprises which perform 50% and more of socially important passenger traffic and are enlisted as such by the Sakha Government, are exempted from paying the property tax.

To prevent higher tariffs for heat energy, there is a tax benefit on property of utilities and communal services organizations receiving subsidies from the budget to compensate losses; besides, enterprises in this sphere enjoy a benefit on the transport tax in relation to their special vehicles.

Like it is granted by the federal legislation, there is a benefit for motorways of public use, both republic’s and municipal.

Given high costs of agriculture, enterprises producing and processing agricultural products are granted some benefits on regional taxes.

To support small businesses using the simplified taxation system with taxation target being “revenues and expenses”, the tax rate has been lowered from 15% to 10%, the simplified patent-based taxation system has been introduced for private entrepereneurs.

Financial infrastructure The banking system of the republic is represented by 22 credit institutions, including 4 independent banks, 18 branches of banks of other regions.

Assets of credit institutions of the republic in 2010 totaled RUR 109.3 billion and increased the level of 2009 by 8.6%.

In the insurance market there are 2 republican insurance companies: OAO RIC “Sterkh”, and OAO GSMK “Sakhamedstrakh”, 11 branches of insurance companies of other regions of Russia.

The branch network of the RIC “Sterkh” and OAO GSMK “Sakhamedstrakh” covers all regions of the republic. Additionally, the regional insurance company came to the inter-regional level, opening branches of the RIC “Sterkh” in Khabarovsk and GSMK “Sakhamedstrakh” in Magadan.

There are 7 organizations with 20 licenses for professional activity in the securities market.

OAO “Republican Specialized Registrar “Yakutsk Fund Center “(YFC) is one of the oldest independent Russian registrars at the federal level in the Far East, carrying out activities in keeping the register of holders of securities since 1993. Its license was issued by the Federal Financial Markets Service of Russia for an indefinite term. YFC is a member of a self-regulatory organization of securities market participants – the Professional Association of Registrars, Transfer Agents, Depositories (PARTAD) since 1995.

OAO “Yakut Depository Center” (YDC) was established on January 26, 1996. Activities: brokerage, management of securities depository activities. YDC is a member of a self-regulatory organization “National Securities Market Association” (NSMA).

Entrepreneurship

There are 47 thousand small and medium-sized business entities, including 5.1 thousand small and medium-sized enterprises and 41.8 thousand registered individual entrepreneurs.

According to expert estimation (including salaried employees of individual entrepreneurs), the share of employment in small and medium enterprises in the total employment in the economy is 40%.

The turnover of small businesses in 2010 increased by a quarter and is RUR 80.7 billion and the turnover of medium-sized enterprises almost doubled and exceeded RUR 19.2 billion million.

Financial support for entrepreneurs is facilitated through the relevant federal, republican and municipal programs of the funds of entrepreneurship support and development.

Businesses can partly recover expenses incurred during the entire production cycle, including cadastral work and promotion of manufactured products to domestic and foreign markets. Particular attention is given to innovative small companies and companies involved in the modernization of production and its export.

State support areas in high demand are the following: grants, microfinancing, suretyship, property support, educational programs.

Infrastructure of property support of businesses includes business incubators in the cities of Yakutsk and Neryungri. A business incubator in Nyurba and a technopark in Neryungri are being set up currently.

External economic activity

Click the image to see the infograph in large size.

The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) has external commercial relations with 45 countries. Ties have traditionally been strong with European countries; external economic cooperation of the republic with India, Israel, USA, China is developing dynamically. 94% of the entire foreign turnover of the republic falls on these countries.

By the results of 2010 the growth of basic indices of the republic’s economic development has been witnessed, including the external economic activity indices.

In 2010 the exports volume made USD 3232,9 million. The imports volume made USD 90,7 million.

In 2010 the foreign turnover more than doubled compared to the 2009 level up to USD 3323 million. Export surplus went positive and made USD 3142,2 million, which is USD 1761,0 million more than in 2009.

Among the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) has preserved its positions, holding the third place the foreign turnover index, being inferior to Sakhalin Oblast and Primorsky Krai.

Exports volume grew by the results of 2010 due to the sales of precious stones, precious metals and products from them to Belgium, Israel and India (81,7% of the total exports volume).

Goods were mostly delivered to the republic from the USA (35,3% of the total imports volume), China (13,5%), Japan (12,9%), Germany (8,7%), Ukraine (6,9%), Korea (6,2%).

In 2010 the enterprises and organizations of Yakutia received USD 8,1 million from rendering international services. They basically include transportation services (94,6%), services of travel agencies, tourist agents and excursion agencies.

In 2010 the number of participants of the external economic relations in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) grew by 6,6% and made 129 units.

As of January 1, 2011, the accumulated foreign capital in the republic’s economy made USD 2122 million, which is 43% more than a year before.

USD 1337 million of investments came to the republic’s economy from abroad in 2010, which is 20% more than in the similar period of 2009. 99% of the total receipts volume was invested in natural resources extraction.

In the structure of accumulated foreign investments at January 1 2011 the share of direct investments made 11,9 %, portfolio investments 0,2%, the share of other investments on the revolving basis (credits) – 87,8%.

Luxemburg (80,9%) and Cyprus (13,1%) were leading among the investing countries by the volume of the capital accumulated in the republic.

By the volume of investment income from abroad to the regions of the Far Eastern Federal District in 2010 the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) takes the 2nd place after Sakhalin Oblast.

Download the 2011 investment guidebook of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (PDF, ~110 Mb)

Meanwhile, enjoy Yakutia in pictures used in the guidebook…

YAKUTIA PHOTOGRAPHS BY YSIA

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The Lena River in Yakutia, Russia

Questions from a guide book writer regarding the construction of the AyAM railway to Yakutsk and a bridge across the Lena River:

In your opinion, when do you think the AyAM train to Yakutsk will be ready? My best guess is not before the Sochi Olympics in 2014.

When the AyAM is complete, it will just go to Nizhny Bestyakh, right?

Somebody told me there will also be a train station in Yakutsk. Why do they need a train station in Yakutsk? Is there another train line being built on the west side of the Lena River, or will there be a bridge across the Lena somewhere?

And here is my reply:

Well, the railroad end is already on the opposite bank of the Lena River, but there must be a lot of engineering works done before the first cargo train’s arrival (promised in 2013) and more additional works for the first passenger train to come. So not so soon.

Currently, Yakutia’s government works on getting funds from the federal center for constructing the bridge across the Lena River, but Moscow changes its mind all the time. No one is sure yet. Morelikely, Nizhnij Bestyakh (on the opposite bank) will be a Yakutsk railroad station in the beginning. If everything will be clear with the bridge construction, there will be the station on our side. If not, in N. Bestyakh.

No other bridges exist across the Lena River. No plans either.

Yeah, what does the West know about Yakutia? This question a RIA Novosti correspondent asked Eric Hoesli, writer, journalist and Editorial Director of Edipresse, Switzerland, who arrived to Yakutsk with the purpose to participate in the meeting of the Valdai Discussion Club. His answer was interesting. Partly I agree, partly not. Check yourself.

RIA Novosti: Club members will travel to the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) this year. What does the West know about the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), and what do you expect to see and hear there?

Eric Hoesli: If we are talking about what the West knows about Yakutia, the answer is very simple: they know there are diamonds there.

Apart from this, the development of all of Siberia is of great interest, I think. This concerns not only natural resources. I think climate change, carbon dioxide emissions, and other environmental problems are of great importance. These are global problems that are affecting Siberia. I wonder what local leaders think of them.

There are other issues that interest me in Yakutia. They are related to the development of Siberia—for instance, the river infrastructure and the Northern Sea Route. The Lena River, which links Yakutsk with all of Russia, is navigable only for a few months of the year. The Northern Sea Route might now be restored due to ice melting, and the possibilities of this are being discussed widely. It would be interesting to hear local opinions on the problem. Questions raised back in the 1930s have now become relevant again because of global warming.

In short, Yakutia exemplifies the situation in entire Siberia, and this has an impact on our future.

The full text of the interview is here.

Three Valleys Innovation Technopark invites international companies to join the permanent online exhibition “New Technologies and Innovations for the Economy of Sakha Republic (Yakutia)”.

The aims of the Online Exposition are to attract domestic and foreign advanced technologies into the main sectors of our economy, to support entrepreneurial activity in Yakutia region and stimulate technological cooperation.

Online exposition is known as innovative and actively developing form of exhibition, characterized by high efficiency level and low expense costs.

In order to promote Online Expositions, Expo.Ykt.Ru is worked out. It is now a prestigious Yaknet platform, where leading enterprises of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) have already been introduced.

We invite foreign developers, producers, suppliers of new technologies, service companies to announce Your products, technologies and services in the Exposition sections:

• building industry
• transport
• energy efficiency, housing and communal services
• food
• agriculture

The exhibition is to be accompanied by an advertising campaign, including leading Sakha Republic (Yakutia) media, outdoor advertising and information network Ykt.Ru facilities.

We focus on a long-term cooperation, development of new industries in our republic and therefore offer the Online Exposition participants various forms of co-operation.

For more information:

visit the website New Technologies and Innovations for the Economy of Sakha Republic (Yakutia) (in Russian)
call the manager by skype user threevalleysusu
mail to: platonova@yaknet.com

A London-based liaison officer wrote to me “I am trying to get a deal together to buy 200,000 carats of rough diamonds from Alrosa in Yakutia. Only problem is, their English speaking representatives’ websites do not work, nor do their telephone numbers. Very frustrating!!!!” Then he added the best line I had ever read “You are the only person in Yakutia I can find.” The liason officer knows how to please people and what to say…

Frankly saying, I didn’t expect receiving such an inquiry. Thought, everything is cool with the biggest Russian diamond-mining company and its abroad affiliates. So…

Have no idea why, but the English version of ALROSA’s main website opens at my end. Here is the link I checked out: http://eng.alrosa.ru/

ALROSA Contact Info

Abroad representatives

Office in Belgium

Lange Herentalsestraat 62/70,
Antwerpen B-2018 Belgium
Tel: (323) 234-9084
Fax: (323) 234-2307

Office in Angola

ALROSA-Africa
Rua Coronel Aires de Ornelas, No 1, R/S
Luanda
Republica de Angola
Tel./Fax: (244) (2) 443900

Office in Israel

ALROSA Co. Ltd. (Israel),
Diamond Exchange,
Maccabi Bldg. 2342-2344
1 Jabotinsky St.
Ramat-Gan 52130, Israel
Tel: (972) 3 6128680/1
Fax: (972) 3 6128714

Office in England

ARCOS LIMITED,
2nd Floor, 86 Hatton Garden,
London, EC1N 8QQ, UK
Tel: (44)207 242 3170
Fax: (44)207 242 3174

Office in Hong Kong

ARCOS HONG KONG LTD,
56 Floor, Bank of China Tower, 1 Garden Road,
Hong Kong
Tel: (852)2521 9229
Fax: (852)2521 9239

Office in United Arab Emirates

ARCOS EAST DMCC,
Office 19, Business Avenue Building,
Mezzanine Floor, Port Saeed Road, Deira, Dubai
Tel: (971) 4 295 4692
Fax: (971) 4 295 4691

Moscow Office
Tel: +7 (495) 620-92-50, 662-36-26
Fax: (495) 411-75-15
Email: info@alrosa.ru

Btw, Mr. Vybornov, CEO, is based in Moscow. All requests addressed to him are forwarded to the Moscow office.

That’s the invitation offered in the following presentation video about the economy of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in English. Dubbing is not mine. Done by a local TV presenter with an obvious Russian accent :)

The territory of Yakutia occupies northeastern part of Asian continent, stretching 2,000 km from north to south, and 2,500 km from west to east. Its area of 3,102 thousand sq km makes 1/5 of Russia, or almost 2/3 of Western Europe’s area. More than 40 percent of Yakutia’s territory lies above the Arctic Circle. It embraces three time-zones.

The capital of the Republic – Yakutsk – is 8,468 km away from Moscow. Yakutia borders with seven subjects of the Russian Federation: in the west – Krasnoyarsk Krai, in south-west and south — Irkutsk and Amur Oblasts, Zabaikalsky Krai, in south-east — Khabarovsk Krai, in the east – Magadan Oblast and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.

The Republic is divided in 35 administrative units: 34 uluses (regions) and the city of Yakutsk. The Republic has completely transited to local government. As of January 1, 2008 there were 446 municipal units, including 34 municipal regions, 2 urban districts, and 410 towns and villages.

According to All-Russian Census of 2002, the Republic’s population makes 948.1 thousand people, with urban population making 64.2 percent, rural — 35.8 percent. Representatives of 126 nationalities
inhabit the Republic, including Yakuts — 45.5 percent, Russians — 41.2 percent, Ukrainians – 3.6 percent, Evenks — 1.9 percent, Evens — 1.2 percent. The density of population in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is low — 0.3 person per sq. km.

Natural conditions vary a lot within Yakutia: sharply continental climate results in temperature fluctuations range of about 100 degrees Celsius. The Republic is home to the northern hemisphere’s Pole of Cold, where extremely low temperatures were registered (down to — 71.2 degrees).

Yakutia has almost 700 thousand rivers and 800 thousand lakes. One of the ten greatest rivers of the planet — the Lena River — crosses the whole territory of the Republic from south to north. Other large rivers are Indigirka, Yana, and Kolyma. There is a little less than 1 mln cub m of fresh water and a lake per every habitant of Yakutia. Water bodies hold the most abundant fish reserves of about 90 valuable species.

72 percent of the Republic’s territory is covered with taiga, the rest represents forest-tundra, tundra, and arctic desert.

Yakutia Economy Video Presentation
(more info, different from the text above)

[media id="1"]
Run time: approx. 11 min.
Dubbing: in English (by a local student)
Link to the media file: http://askyakutia.com/wp-content/video/video1_en.flv

43 pages with information on the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in English.

Translation is not perfect. However, wanted info in English is now available online. Below the table of content:

Download PDF (2,7 Mb)

What was the first diamond mine in Yakutia? What is the biggest hole we see often in pictures of Mirny? Certainly, it is the MIR Diamond Pipe. Read further to learn about the biggest hole in the world.

History key facts

On June 13, 1955, in the course of Yakut ASSR Amakinsky Expedition, geologists Yuri Khabardin, Ekaterina Elagina, V. Avdeenko discovered the MIR (lit: Peace) diamond pipe. The telegram was sent to Moscow, saying “Lighted up a pipe of peace. Tobacco is awesome!”

In June 1956, the USSR’s Ministry of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy took a decision of exploring the MIR Pipe, which provided for the construction of diamond mining and processing facilities in the vicinity of the Mir Pipe.

On June 11, 1957, the career “MIR” was established.

On January 12, 1958, excavator operator B. Korablev unloaded the first bucket of MIR Pipe ore.

In the course of the mine exploitation, the MIR Pipe was reconstructed three times.

April 30, 2001, the last tones of ore were unloaded.

On May 1, 2001, open pit mining in the MIR Pipe was stopped by the decision of ALROSA.

Parameters

Hole depth: 525 m.
Upper diameter: min. 1100 m, max. 1200 m.
Lower diameter: min. 160 m, max. 310 m.
Unloaded rocks volume: 168.7 million cubic meters, including 67928 thousand tones of ore.
Sold diamonds: $17.5 billion.
Annual mining capacity: 2 million karats.
Underground mineral waters income speed: 1150 m/h.
Spiral descending way length: 7.7 km.
Mining depth: 1235 m.

Yes, I’ve got some. You may even download all current investment projects of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in one zip file.

Just have patience. The file size is approx. 17 Mb.

But inside you’ll find 91 project descriptions (as of Sept. 2008) to participate in:
- oil & gas, coal, gold and other mining, and processing;
- transport, construction industrial, forest-processing, agricultural, innovation complex;
- electric power;
- tourism;
- and so-called megaprojects.

Free download

Currently, this website is the only place to get such info. Enjoy!

There have been revealed over 1500 deposits of various kinds of mineral raw material, including 150 kimberlitic pipes, about 600 gold-bearing, 44 tin and as much coal, 34 oil-and-gas, 26 mica, 7 ferrous, a number of antimony, zeolitic, apatite and many other deposits on the territory of the Republic.

Energy resources of the Republic are significant. On its share come 47 percent of reconnoitred stocks of coal, 35 percent of natural gas and oil of the Eastern Siberia and the Far East, and also 22 percent of hydro resources as a whole across Russia. Today, the Republic occupies leading positions in the country, providing, in particular, 100 percent of Russia’s antimony extraction, 98 percent of diamonds, 40 percent of tin, 15 percent of gold and 24 percent of brilliants’ manufacture. By the existing estimations, the basic reconnoitred and forecasted resources of diamonds and antimonies of Russia, 40 percent of tin, 20 percent of gold, 9 percent of the reconnoitred and 15 percent of predicted stocks of wolfram, 10 percent of industrial stocks of phosphates, iron ores, significant stocks of hydrocarbons are concentrated in the Republic. Many of the reconnoitred but not developed deposits refer now to the complex, unique and large deposits.

Diamonds. Total amount of the reconnoitred stocks of diamonds is able to provide the diamond-mining industry for 34 years.

The largest diamond-mining companies are ALROSA JSC, ALROSA-NYURBA JSC, NIZHNE-LENSKOYE JSC, and ALMAZY ANABARA JSC.

Nyurbinsky Mine Concentrating Combine was put into operation in 2003. Construction and input of underground diamond mines “Mir”, “Aikhal”, “Internatsionalny”, “Udachnaya”, and “Botuobinskaya” are planned.

Oil and gas. 30 oil and gas fields have been discovered on the territory of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) by now. The balance stocks of natural gas make 2.48 trillion m³; the taken oil stocks make 330 million tons; gas condensate stocks make 52.5 million tons; helium stocks make 8934.6 million m³. Moreover, not more than 10% of the territory of Yakutia’s four oil and gas provinces have been geologically explored.

The prevailing part of hydrocarbon resources is concentrated in South-Western (Botuobinsky geological area) and Central Yakutia (Vilyusky geological area). The largest and the well-explored fields of Western Yakutia are Chayandinskoye gas condensate deposit (taken stocks – 50 million tons of oil and 1.24 billion m³ of gas), Talakansoye (taken stocks – 122.3 million tons of oil and 54.2 billion m³ of gas) and Srednebotuobinskoye gas condensate fields (taken stocks – 63.1 million tons of oil and 172.8 billion m³ of gas), as well as Irelyakhskoye, Taas-Yuryakhskoye, Verkhnevilyuchanskoye and other fields. Gas fields of this region are characterized by high content of helium (0.2-0.6%).

The available raw-material oil base can provide the initial stage of the development of oil-extracting and oil refining complex; the prospected natural gas stocks at the maximal annual extraction of 35 billion cubic meters will last for 40 years.

Hydrocarbon potential of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is not limited to 30 explored fields and their estimated stocks of oil and gas. The territories to the west of Verkhoyansky Range totalling 15 million km² are promising. There also are potentially gas-bearing areas in the north-east of the Republic, where they are closely connected with intermountain and maritime basins. Huge hydrocarbon resources are also forecasted in the shelf plates of the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea.

Coal. By the geological coal stocks the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) takes the first place in Russian Federation and contains in its bowels more than 40 percent of Russian Federation’s coal stocks. Now only 44 deposits are taken into account in the state balance. Their balance stocks totally make 9.6 billion tons a year. The significant part of balance stocks is presented by the high-quality coking coal of Neryungrinskoye, Denisovskoye, Chulmanskoye and Elginskoye deposits.

Gold. Mineral raw-material base of gold is one of the largest in Russia (more than 20 percent from the Russian Federation’s). 18.9 tons of gold was extracted in the Republic in 2007.
Gold is widely distributed over all the territory of Yakutia; however, industrial gold-bearing is concentrated in eastern and southern Yakutia, basically, in the basins of the Indigirka, Yana and Aldan Rivers. Conditional provision of gold mining enterprises with the balance stocks of gold is over 50 years in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in whole.

The largest enterprises are ALDANZOLOTO GRK JSC, NERYUNGRIMETALLIC LLC, ZAPADNAYA Prospectors’ Team LLC, and SELIGDAR Prospectors’ Team.

POLYUS-ZOLOTO JSC (affiliated company of NORILSK NICKEL) is the subsoil user of the large objects of Kuranakhskoye ore field, Nezhdaninskoye gold ore deposit, and Kyuchus deposit.

Complex ores. The basic valuable components of these ores are lead and zinc; the associated ones are copper, gold, silver, cadmium, bismuth, tin, gallium, scandium, and indium. 11 complex ore deposits have been explored and investigated in the Republic. By their stocks Yakutia is on one of the first places in Russia. Besides lead-zinc ores, there were also found copper-molybdenum ores in Verkhoyanskaya complex ore province; chromium-titanium ores were found in Prikolymskaya province, and copper-silver ores were found in South-Western province; they are not used yet.

Tin. By stocks of 778 thousand tons (about 50 percent from the Russian Federation’s) and volume of tin extraction (about 40 percent from the Russian Federation’s), the Republic occupies the first place in the Russian Federation. Prospecting works are being done only at Churpunya deposit. The available raw-material base allows to increase the extraction of tin by 2-3 times.

Recent tendency of higher prices for tin at the world market opens good prospects of the branch’s further development.

Antimony. Balance and forecasted stocks of antimony in the Republic make more than 90 percent from all-Russian. The raw-material base is presented by the large Sarylakhskoye and Sentachanskoye gold and antimony deposits which are worked off, and also by small reserve Maltanskoye, Kimovskoye and Tanskoye gold and antimony deposits with low associated antimony content. Sarylakhskoe and Sentachanskoe deposits’ stocks are estimated at 210 thousand tons of antimony.

Metal antimony trioxide plant of 9.5 tons yearly capacity was put into operation in Oimyakonsky region in 2006.

Niobium, rare earth elements. Rare earth elements’ stocks are estimated at 8 million tons. Tomtorskoye deposit located in the northwest of Yakutia is perspective; it is a large object of rare metals, including niobium and yttrium. On the basis of this deposit the large mineral raw-material niobium and rare earths of the yttrium group’s base able to provide Russia’s needs on long prospect is prepared for industrial development.

Iron. Large ferrous base for the development of Far East metallurgical manufacture is prepared for development in Southern Yakutia on a basis of thoroughly reconnoitred stocks of iron ores of Tayozhnoye, Desovskoye, Tarynnakhskoye and other deposits. Positive factors for its development are the presence in immediate proximity of coking coals’ deposit, a favourable infrastructure with working motor and railways, as well as free capacities of power, mining and building industry. Iron stocks are estimated at 5.7 billion tons.

Apatite, etc. Southern Yakutia’s apatite (Seligdarskoye deposit), piezooptic raw material (Inagli, the Lilac stone, Mustakh, etc.), building materials, stone salt, mineral water, zeolite, phlogopite deposits should play the big role in social and economic development of the Republic in future. Apatite stocks are estimated at 85.6 million tons.

Precious and ornamental stones. In Yakutia there are deposits of Iceland spar, emery (true ruby, sapphire), rock crystal (piezocrystal: chalcedony, agate, and chrome-diopside – an emerald green diopside crystal, a valuable jewel stone).

Along with diamonds in the diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes there is a group of minerals known as garnet and its varieties: red ones – Bohemian garnets, yellowish-green ones – chrysolites; they are used as jewel stones.

In Yakutia they also mine rocks used as jewel and ornamental stones: jasper, jade and charoit. There is the only in the world charoit deposit in the southern part of Yakutia. In Aldansky and Anabarsky regions there are deposits of different shaded marble, which is a valuable facing material.

Hundreds of mineral sources have been discovered in Yakutia; some of them have healing qualities (Sytygan Sylba in Oymyakonsky region). Three lakes with balneological therapeutic muds have been explored: Abalakh Lake in Megino-Kangalassky region, Mokhsogollokh Lake in Suntarsky Region, and Kumakh Elesin Lake in Ust-Aldansky region.

Present and expected in long-term world and Russian market conditions allow to make a conclusion of high demand for the present and potential mineral and raw material resources of Yakutia. In this relation the sub-branches of mining and fuel and power industries will continue serving as system-forming base for the economic complex of Yakutia.

You might be interested in business opportunities in Yakutia and download all current valid investment projects. Check out the post Do you have any information on business opportunities in Yakutia?

Ecologists! They sent me a release and a few info to post. Further, please, find them.

BIG INTERESTS AND MONEYS…THE RIGHT OF PEOPLE AND SAFETY ISSUES

The Lena river is not just a blue line on the map of Russia. And the “East Siberia – Pacific Ocean” Oil Pipeline (ESPO) crossing of the river is not just another hydro-technical construction on one of the biggest Siberian rivers.

But the ESPO underwater crossing of the river Lena is nothing but an oil “bomb”. We call it this way, because the effect of oil spills on this river – one of the biggest and clearest rivers in the world, which nourishes the area compared to the size of the European Union – can be as destructive as bomb effect. Such situation is a result of non-responsible and quick profit oriented attitude of giant corporation, Transneft’. The company’s managers rely on speedy schedule and economy issues when weighing the alternatives – to spend up to 40 % more money on the project or to save the river they have probably not even seen with their own eyes.

That is why it is now the public initiatives of the republic are striving to save the Lena river from oil spills in future. Why would such disasters happen?

The method of the ESPO oil pipeline crossing had been changed without open public discussion: neither the government nor the people of the republic were informed of the Transneft’s decision to change from the micro-tunnel to the trench method, which then was approved by the state ecological expertise.

According to the various regional scientific data, the chosen place for the pipeline to cross the river have many dangerous factors, which can lead to oil spills in future if the pipeline will be done in trench. These are: possible ice jams, some big stones from inflowing river Olyokma; washing of soil and salt cavities under the pipes, etc.

Deformation of the pipes in the trench can cause oil spill disaster:
- according to the projected calculations, the massive oil spill will elapse about 83333, 3 cu. feet of oil into the river;
- counting the average width of the river, 0,97 miles, this amount of oil will make about 500 miles oil front and the polluted oiled water will reach Yakutsk, the capital town, in 4 days in summer;
- the company-customer of the project Transneft didn’t imply any alternative water supply for the settlements downstream in case of such oil spills;
- owing to the high toxic oil components such oil spill will do much harm to the fish, birds and to all living creatures inhabiting the bottom, the water and the banks. And the river is the major source of drinkable water and fish supply for numerous indigenous settlements downstream.

That’s why the leading scientists, ecologists from Yakutia and Russian Far East are addressing the government of Russia in urge to switch the method of river crossing for the tunnel.

Moreover, the construction of the pipeline is being done with abundant violations of technical and juridical regulations. Thus, the controlling work by the Ministry for nature protection and Technical Survey Department of the Sakha republic in the year of 2007-08 has found 97 violations of regulatory technical inscriptions and 86 violations of the nature protection laws.

The Save the River Lena Action is initiated by the Civic Coalition “Our homeland – Yakutia”, which then formed the Organizing Committee of the Action and Public Council of the Action. The Save the River Lena Action is out of the politics and commercial PR, this is a civic action.

The Action will be on till the government of Russia and the company-customer Transneft’ will reconsider the ESPO oil pipeline major crossing (at least, the additional sub-crossing) for tunneling. The Action is a set of informative, educational and agitation activities, which are held with various frequency and with different people involved. Later on, this Action will also be a part of public ecological monitoring of the Lena river.

The major activity within the Action is collecting the voices of all people who wish to give their voice to support our petition for the government of Russia to change the method of the river crossing from trench to tunnel.

Not long ago the Organizing Committee sent letters to the Presidents of Russia and Yakutia, asking them to take into account the voices of some 14 thousand people who signed the petition to change the ESPO oil pipeline river crossing for tunneling. But no answer yet from Moscow. And the last session of Yakutia’s government on August 22 didn’t show real consideration of the proposed public suggestion to make the river crossing safer.

Will the authorities and government of Russia and the Sakha republic not remain in history as those people who let “the oil bomb” kill the mighty river owing to their ill-thought actions and non-sustainable policies?

The organizers of the Action are still positive in their will to turn the government into the balance between mere economy and sustainable development of such industrial projects.

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THE EAST SIBERIA – PACIFIC OCEAN OIL PIPELINE PROJECT (ESPO)

The capacity of the pipeline: up to 80 mln tons of oil per year.
The ESPO construction stages: the first stage comprises: Tayshet (Irkutsjaya oblast) – Skovorodino (Amurskaya oblast). The overall capacity of the first stage is up to 30 ml tons of oil per year.

The extension of the ESPO in the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic: the extension goes from Ust-Kut up along the north-eastern left bank of the Lena river to the Talakan oil field (1 part of the extension); then it turns from the town of Lensk to the east and comes to the town of Olyokminsk where it crosses the Lena river and reaches the town of Aldan (3 part); from there it drops down south to the town of Neryungry and exits the territory of republic in the village of Tynda, Amurskaya oblast (2 part).
The length of the first stage of the project is about 1200 miles, and more than 800 miles out of that goes in the territory of the Sakha republic. As various specialists state, the construction of the new route of the project will face many difficulties of various origin: technical ordeals due to harsh climate, complex geology and relief (permafrost and multiple kinds of soils).

The engineering plans for the first stage of the project include construction of about 300-400 new transportation routes.

Besides the linear parts (the buried pipes) the projected construction includes 7 oil-pumping stations, numerous electricity and communication services, autonomous diesel power station, the unified controlling system and sea oil filling terminal in the Primorsky krai on the Pacific coast.
The cost of the first stage is about 11 mln USD.

The construction of the ESPO oil pipeline system is funded by open joint-stock oil company Transneft with its own resources and loans (Sberbank loan is 146 mlrd rubles, and release of debt securities (total sum is $500 mln and 700 mln euro).

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THE LENA RIVER CROSSING OF THE ESPO OIL PIPELINE

The ESPO oil pipeline project has about 270 crossing of various water streams, including the major water route, the Lena river. The underwater crossing is projected to be built near Solyanka village, not far downstream from Olyokminsk town.

The method of the crossing had been changed without open public discussion: neither the government nor the people of the republic were informed of the Transneft’s decision to change from the micro-tunnel to the trench method, which then was approved by the state ecological expertise.

Together with the approved method of crossing (the trench), the chosen place for the pipeline to cross the river adds risks for the possible oil spills in future as there are the following dangerous factors – high possibility of earthquakes in the area of crossing; ice jams at the spring break-up period (up to 40 feet high and 44 miles long ; the existence of geological shatters under the Oyokma and Lena rivers’ beds; the Olyokma river can drag up big stones to the trench crossing place; and also the washing of soil and salt under the buried pipes, which may cause their deformation, and thus, oil spills.

Special construction techniques

Open Cut River and Stream Crossings (open trench method)

This crossing method involves excavating a trench across the bottom of the river or stream to be crossed with the pipeline. Depending on the depth of the water, the construction equipment may have to be placed on barges or other floating platforms to excavate the pipe trench. If the water is shallow enough, the contractor can divert the water flow with dams and flume pipe to allow backhoes, working from the banks or the streambed, to dig the trench.

The top of the pipe must be 3,3 ft below the non-washable bottom level. The duration of work for this kind of river crossing systems is 10 years.

Utility Tunneling and Carrier Pipe

This construction method involves excavating the ground at the leading edge of a shield or boring machine and erecting a lining system from within the excavated space. The minimum size is approximately 48 inches in diameter, which is the size required to allow personnel access to erect a liner from inside the opening. The lined tunnel acts as a host for the installation of the carrier pipe system which is grouted in place.

The top of the pipe must be 16,6 ft below the non-washable bottom level. The duration of work for this kind of river crossing systems is 100 years.

Have got a few questions about Gennady F. Alexeev. This is the person who is assigned to attract investors to the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

Gennady F. Alexeev
1st Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), based in Moscow.

Areas of responsobility

Interact with federal authorities, enterprises and businesses in order to accomplish republic’s investment projects based on state and private business partnership. Provides coordinated work by republic authorities.

Coordinates the work of republic authorities on:
- realizing the Scheme of Productive Forces, Transportation, Energy Comprehensive Development in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) by 2020;
- attracting investors to infrastructure projects;
- developing and accomplishing the new version of the federal targeted program “Economical & Social Development of the Far East and Transbaikalia for 1996—2005 and by 2010;”
- preparing and realizing interindustrial investment projects with funds allocated Russia’s Investment Funds, Venture Fund and Russian Development Fund;
- licensing deposits and fields in compliance with approved plans and program documents;
- supporting diamond processing, jewelry production, stone-working industries;

Biography

Born on February 1, 1957 in the village of Zarya in the Altai Territory. Owns Sakha Republic’s order Polyarnaya Zvesda as well as Miner’s Glory of three degrees.
Graduated from Chernogorsk Mining Technical School (1976), Moscow Mining Institute with a major in mining engeneering (1981), Academy of National Economy of the Russian Federation (1999). Top-manager, candidate of engineering sciences.
1981 – 1989. Worked as a mining foreman, deputy chief, mining part chief, deputy chief engeneer. In YakutUgol’s Nerungrinsky Coal Field.
1989. Chief engeneer in PrimorskUgol Company’s coal field “Povlovsky 2”.
1989 – 1990. Shift chief, deputy chief of YakutUgol’s Nerungrinsky Coal Field Maintenance Supply Devision.
1990 – 1997. Worked in YakutUgol’s Management Personnel as deputy director (responsible for production), and operative-dispatch regulation administration chief.
1997 – 2001. Director of YakutUgol’s Nerungrinsky coal field.
2001 – 2002. YakutUgol’s 1st deputy general manager.
2002. Minister of Property of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
Feb. 2003. 1st Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)
Feb. 15, 2007. Reappointed 1st Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) for the second term.

Translated by Yakutsk Translation Center.

For other government members, please, check out Who is who in the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

Megaprojects of Russia Yakutsk Economic Forum will be held in Yakutsk on September 6-7, 2008.

The forum has got its own website http://www.sakhaforum.ru/ in Russian and English languages.

Well, it is necessary to define what people are meant in the question. There are people who support East Siberia – Pacific Ocean oil pipeline construction and there are ones with objections.

FOR

ESPO has support from regional officials, industrialists, businessmen, and other economy participants. Obviously, oil pipeline and its satellite gas pipeline will bring prosperity for the biggest region in Siberia and the Far East. ESPO will force republic’s fields and deposits to be developed, exported and hopefully to increase republic’s budget incomes at long last.

AGAINST

However, ecologists and green peace followers are afraid of the Lena river pollution when ESPO pipeline will be laid across the river at its bottom.

ORDINARY PEOPLE

They understand ESPO’s advantages, but they do love the Lena river and want it to remain clean and untouched. When environmentalists are calling upon to support protest actions, they eagerly sign petitions.