Five texts about the Arctic that are important to read

From the destruction of the tundra to Patrushev in the Maritime Collegium: five key texts of Arctida for 2025.

In 2025, Arktida continues to make the Arctic more transparent and understandable through research, investigation and data analysis. We wrote about the consequences of the climate crisis and industrial pressure in the Arctic, how the securitization of the region is intensifying, and how the situation of indigenous peoples is changing. From dozens of materials on these topics, we have selected five texts that show what is happening in the region today and how this determines its future.

Scars of the Tundra

One of the most visual and at the same time alarming texts of 2025 is a study of how heavy tracked vehicles are literally plowing up the Russian Arctic. In the material, we described how all-terrain vehicles, which have been used for decades in the tundra, leave behind not temporary traces, but real wounds that can last for centuries. Kilometer-long ruts, visible even on satellite images, destroy vegetation cover, which leads to the degradation of reindeer pastures and accelerated permafrost thawing.

The Arctida study, published jointly with NeMoskva and Most.Media, relies on space monitoring data and records dozens of cases of large-scale destruction of tundra vegetation in eight Arctic regions. In one location, traces of all-terrain vehicles are found even within the boundaries of the reserve, where the movement of tracked vehicles is in principle prohibited.

The material not only tells in detail about the consequences of using such transport, but also shows ways to solve the problem . "Arktida" proposed using all-terrain vehicles on ultra-low pressure tires, improving legislation and methods of monitoring its implementation.

After the release of the study, we sent appeals to the authorities of all ten subjects of the Russian Arctic and received the result . Thus, the Ministry of Natural Resources of Komi and the Ministry of Ecology of the Krasnoyarsk Territory supported the ideas of Arctida, and several regions proposed to conduct additional research.

Find out more about the scale of destruction of the tundra and proposed solutions from our material.

Scars of the Tundra

He brought the security forces to salt water

"Arktida" closely monitors the activities of the former head of the FSB and the Security Council of the Russian Federation Nikolai Patrushev in the Arctic and how the process of militarization and securitization of the region is proceeding. One of the main texts on this topic this year is a study on how the Maritime Board is changing under the leadership of Patrushev and how this affects the Arctic region.

"Arktida" together with "Novaya Gazeta" shows how the Maritime Collegium is turning into a centralized and strategically oriented structure, in which issues of defense, logistics control and national security play an increasingly important role.

For this material, we analyzed the latest changes in the composition of the Maritime Board, as well as public messages from its press service. “Arktida” found out that under the leadership of Patrushev, the collegium acquired the features of an independent body, reporting directly to the president, and the role of people from law enforcement agencies in its composition has greatly increased.

In the text, we examine in detail the new edition of the Maritime Doctrine, in which the Arctic and the World Ocean are finally established as spaces of national security.

Read about how the composition of the Maritime Board changed, what exactly is written in the Maritime Doctrine and what this means for the Arctic.

Brought the security forces out to salt water

Oil official

In April 2025, members of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation (RAIPON) elected a new president. “Arktida” could not ignore such an event and, together with the publication “7x7”, talked about how the new head of the association, Alexander Novyukhov, is connected with the oil production business.

We found out that Novyukhov headed the organization “Saving Yugra”, financed by oil workers, for 14 years, publicly defended mining corporations and turned a blind eye to their numerous environmental violations.

Novyukhov’s appointment turned out to be beneficial for the state: “he is quiet and convenient,” does not conflict with big businesses exploiting the nature of the Arctic, and helps Russia speak on the international stage, for example, in the UN.

Meanwhile, while associations created to protect the rights of indigenous people are co-opted by mining companies and the government, indigenous people are increasingly suffering from climate change and increasing industrial pressure on the region.

Read about the new president of RAIPON and his old connections in our material.

Oil official

Rating of Russian Arctic regions by energy transition

From bad news to good news: Arctida's research on the energy transition shows that even in extreme climates, workable and scalable solutions are possible. This is especially important given that the Arctic is warming faster than other regions of the planet, and energy remains the largest source of greenhouse gases.

As part of the study, we analyzed how the Arctic regions of Russia are introducing renewable energy sources, developing electric transport and increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, and compiled a rating of leaders and outsiders .

In addition, we noted the most successful practices. Among them: the development of wind power plants in the Murmansk region, electric transport in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, as well as the transition from coal and fuel oil to biofuel in the northern regions with the timber industry.

Find out more about the best practices and leaders in green energy in our ranking.

Rating of Russian Arctic regions by energy transition

Conflicting public opinion about the Arctic

In February 2025, Arktida, together with Russian Field researchers, conducted a second public opinion survey about the Arctic - a continuation of the 2023 study. The results showed that Russians are increasingly confronted with the topic of the Arctic in the media space, but in many ways this happens through a militaristic agenda . Almost a third of respondents associate mentions of the region with politics and military topics, which is 21% more than in the previous survey.

This year's research also revealed noticeable contradictions in public perception of the region. Thus, more than 55% of Russians consider the Arctic a territory of dialogue, stability and constructive cooperation, while more than half of those surveyed simultaneously support the militarization of the Arctic.

The majority of respondents support oil and gas production in the region and perceive the Arctic as a strategic resource, but the number of those who are concerned about climate change and support measures to reduce negative environmental impacts is also growing.

Together with a Russian Field expert, we figured out what these contradictions are connected with and what they say about the perception of the Arctic in Russian society.

Bonus: Find out what path our team has come over the past three years!

Arctida celebrated its anniversary not only with important research and investigations, but also with a text about the present and past of the team. From our report you will learn how a trip to Karelia led to the emergence of the project, how many nominations for a journalistic award our texts received, and why 2025 became a year of big changes for us.

Find out about this and much more from our report!

Cover photo: Unsplash / Vidar Nordli-Mathisen