In the summer of 2024, the Pure Arctic—Vostok-77 expedition will reach Chukotka, where scientists plan to create a map of abandoned Soviet sites. The researchers have been methodically moving from west to east, passing through the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Regions, the Nenets Autonomous Area, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, Taimyr and Yakutia. In Chukotka, scientists will survey abandoned settlements, mines, military bases and other sites that require either disposal or additional conservation measures. The comprehensive map will serve as a foundation for programmes aimed at removing valuable equipment from coastal zones for Rosatomflot and the North Sea Route Directorate. It will also assist local authorities in assessing the condition of the facilities under their jurisdiction and formulating plans for their operation.

Meanwhile, the Chukotka Autonomous Area is home to numerous unique sites of historical and cultural value that can be utilised to attract tourists and develop the local hospitality industry. A prime example is the military town of Gudym, also known as Anadyr-1 or Magadan-1. This secret base was constructed back in 1958. The local airfield housed Tu-16 bombers capable of carrying nuclear warheads, while a hidden base with nuclear missiles was located beneath the town. These were not mines but storage facilities with sliding roofs, where MAZ-7916 mobile launchers awaited orders. There, military personnel and their families lived in complete isolation from the outside world, their existence as classified as Soviet nuclear developments. In 1986, nuclear missiles were removed from Gudym, and in 2002, the base was disbanded and abandoned. Today, the only way to reach the site is by using specially prepared vehicles. Daring bloggers show the interior of the underground base, designed to withstand a U.S. nuclear warhead strike, while some tour operators offer excursions that resemble full-fledged expeditions.

Not far from Pevek lies the abandoned Valkumey settlement, which was once a tin mining enterprise of national importance. Founded in 1941, its population reached 3,700 by 1968. Since then, mines, trucking companies, diesel power plants, boiler houses, schools, kindergartens and even the Orbita satellite communication station have been preserved here. The houses still contain numerous artefacts from the past, and the landscape itself is incredibly picturesque. The settlement was finally abandoned in 1998, and since then, the buildings and machinery have gradually become part of the natural environment. As part of the Pure Arctic—Vostok-77 expedition, an assessment will be conducted for such sites to determine the need for removing anthropogenic debris that threatens the local ecosystem and the feasibility of dismantling buildings. In general, as modern practice demonstrates, it is not always necessary to demolish old structures. Such sites are of interest to visitors to the region and serve as a good foundation for implementing new projects. For instance, the Norilsk Development Agency and Roshydromet have signed an agreement to convert old Arctic weather stations into bases for tourists travelling to the Far North. Restoring infrastructure is far more logical and cost-effective than building from scratch, especially considering that Soviet settlements and military bases were constructed in locations that were convenient in terms of logistics.

However, there are some sites whose prospects for restoration are quite slim. In Chukotka, there are several dozen settlements that have been abandoned by their inhabitants due to the loss of economic viability. These settlements typically consist of a dozen or so one- and two-storey buildings, a school, a kindergarten, a post office and sometimes a small local history museum and library. One example is the Yanranay settlement, which is also located near Pevek. It was abandoned in 2015, just a year after undergoing major renovations to its buildings and infrastructure. Sometimes, abandonment occurs due to accidents, as was the case with Apapelgino, where the boiler plant shut down in the winter of 2003. The local residents were urgently relocated to Pevek, and since then, the settlement has been left without its inhabitants. At the beginning of the century, the population in the North was rapidly declining. Today, with the development of the North Sea Route and the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation, the opposite trend is observed. However, the need to build new cities and towns is not yet being discussed. Moreover, there is a possibility that in the future, existing centres such as Pevek, Dikson and other key points along the North Sea Route will be expanded, while the idea of maintaining a large number of small settlements may not be revisited by the authorities.

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