The economy of the North – and Beyond

By 2025, Russia’s Arctic policy has undergone a significant transformation in response to international isolation and sanctions. The new strategy, presented in April 2025 and reinforced at the Murmansk Forum, prioritizes internal development, centralized governance, and the mobilization of national resources. At the core of this shift is the ambition to build a fully state-controlled Northern Sea Route (NSR), supported by infrastructure megaprojects in energy, logistics, and Arctic railways — often with backing from Chinese capital.

In parallel, social programs aimed at stabilizing Arctic populations through digital medicine, tourism, and housing are taking shape, albeit mostly at the planning level. Environmental and technological risks persist in projects extracting strategic resources, such as rare earth metals, despite limited international cooperation.

The linked article offers a detailed overview of these dynamics in the context of Russia’s updated 2025 Framework for the Sustainable Development of Indigenous Peoples, with attention to strategic, institutional, and policy-related developments.