What distinguishes Yamalo-Nenetsk Autonomous Region from other Russian regions?
Yamal is an Arctic region, with all the consequences. What differentiate us here are not the severe frosts – as this is normal for the Far North – but the remoteness and inaccessibility of our territory. For this reason, transport is one of our priorities. Cities of the region have airports, train stations and motorways but it is much harder to connect settlements on the Yamal and Gydan peninsulas with Salekhard and Moscow. Airports suffer frequent blizzards and heavy fogs; there are no roads with solid covering; and river navigation, in some cases, lasts only 10-20 days per year. We can’t change the harsh Arctic climate but I’m sure that we can solve this issue if we join our forces. What have the times of prosperity and high oil prices brought to the region in terms of modernization of its economy, and what has the current crisis affected most? The “times of prosperity”, as you call them, have given us more confidence. We revived the social infrastructure and gave massive support for
