China, South Korea may become main partners on AZRF projects, expert says

China and South Korea may become main partners in the implementation of scientific projects in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF).

The countries should be involved in research at Snezhinka (Snowflake) international arctic stations (IAS) in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region and the Murmansk Region, said Deputy Director General of the Arctic Development Project Office (PORA), Alexander Vorotnikov told TASS on Wednesday.

Vorotnikov is also Associate Professor at the Public Administration and Public Policy Department of the Institute of Social Sciences of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation (RANEPA)

Earlier, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and Arctic Alexey Chekunkov said that Russia would continue intensive work on the development of the Arctic despite the fact that seven countries of the Arctic Council refused to participate in sessions chaired by Russia.

The expert also noted that it is necessary to get BRICS countries involved in the implementation of projects in the Russian Arctic. “If the current acting international participants of the project confirm their rejection of the project or sabotage it, it is quite realistic to get the participants from the BRICS countries involved,” he explained.

Russia’s State Commission for Arctic Development announced its decision to construct two Snezhinka stations in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region and the Murmansk Region.

The Snezhinka IAS is envisioned to become a fully autonomous facility powered by renewable energy sources and hydrogen without any diesel fuel.

The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum that brings together eight countries: Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. In 2021, the two-year presidency passed from Iceland to Russia.

TASS