The Russian Government has approved the expansion of the Russian Arctic zone to include two municipalities of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area — Yugra: Berezovsky and Beloyarsky. TASS reports this, citing a statement from Aleksey Chekunkov, head of the Ministry for Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic, on his Telegram channel.

At a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin announced that a bill has been prepared to extend the borders of the Russian Arctic zone to include two districts of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area. He reminded that Russian President Vladimir Putin has highlighted the strategic importance of the Arctic as a region with vast economic potential.

'The Government has approved a bill to be submitted to the State Duma for the inclusion of two municipalities from the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area — Yugra: Berezovsky and Beloyarsky into the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF). The total area of these two new Arctic regions is equivalent to that of Greece — 130 thousand square kilometres,' stated Chekunkov.

According to the minister, the districts' combined population is 52,000 people.

The head of the Ministry for Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic pointed out that with their inclusion in the AZRF, these municipalities will be able to enjoy all the Arctic benefits: favourable business conditions, the Arctic mortgage and hectares of free land.