In the depths of our country are stored incredible reserves of raw materials and energy resources: ores, coal, oil and gas. In terms of the reserves of many minerals, Russia is several times ahead of its closest pursuers. Russia was lucky to have the largest gas reserves in the world - one of the main modern energy sources. The natural resources of our country are so huge that it is simply not possible to evaluate them in any equivalent.
It would seem, what else do we need? Can we not feed, water, clothe and heat the whole world, counting on the comfortable existence of not only our own and our children, but also great-grandchildren for many generations to come? “What kind of spaces, what a huge territory, what a rich country!” - exclaim foreigners, first acquaintance with Russia. But are we really rich? More precisely, can we consider our wealth a guarantee of our serene existence?
Take a look at the map of the Russian Federation. The first thing that catches the eye of a person who is even slightly familiar with geography is that more than 2 / 3 of the territory of Russia are territories that are of little use not only for farming, but also for other activities. Northern Urals and Western Siberia, Yakutia and the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the regions of the Far East - this is not a paradise on Earth, but the so-called "world refrigerator". It is in this “world refrigerator” that the main riches of Russia are concentrated: oil, gas, coal, timber, ores, gold and diamonds. Those who have ever been at a fifty-degree frost or felt a real blizzard on their skin, drove piles into the permafrost or laid the rails on swamps and marshes, it is not necessary to explain how difficult these regions are for any development, both in terms of climate and in terms of relief.
The extreme complexity of resource development, multiplied by a very low population density, has long put many regions of our Far North and the Far East on the verge of complete devastation. And the absence of the population, as is known, raises the question of the state losing control over the territory and makes possible its conquest (in this case, a banal occupation) by another state. As they say, a holy place is never empty: new settlers will sooner or later come to the empty lands, and in their hands there will not necessarily be weapon, because they do not have to fight with anyone. A striking example of this type of conquest is Chinese expansion to the north of its borders. This is a completely natural process. There are a lot of disputes about its presence or absence, but the fact that the Chinese, who live on the southern bank of the Amur over the Russians, who live on the northern bank, have a multiple advantage over us, is obvious.
So, no matter how trite the words about the need to develop Siberia and the Far East, they need to be pronounced as often as possible, and it is highly desirable that these words do not diverge from deeds.
Against the background of all the talk that “the wealth of Russia will grow through Siberia” was pleased with the real deal of the current government, which, though not without pre-election sensation and share of pretense, was started the day before. We are talking about the continuation of the construction of the railway line, which will link the largest region of Russia - Yakutia with Transsib, and the completion of its important section connecting the village of Berkatit, which is on BAM, with Nizhny Bestyakh, just some 15 kilometers from Yakutsk.
Among the latest statements concerning the development of Siberia and the Far East, it is worth mentioning the initiative of the LDPR and V. Zhirinovsky to introduce a tax-free economy throughout the Far East, which was included in the party's electoral program. Whatever opponents say about Vladimir Volfovich, calling his proposal populist, one cannot but agree that it is quite sensible and quite feasible. Zhirinovsky’s proposal is particularly relevant not only in terms of retaining the remaining population in the region, which buys bread for 50 rubles for a loaf, often barely making ends meet, but also attracting immigrants from European Russia and Russian compatriots from the CIS countries who want to develop their business, taking advantage of the enormous wealth of this region.
No other country in the world had to deal with the need to keep such a vast and so unsuitable territory for life. As to the lack of suitability, our people will cope with this, there is no doubt about this, but the situation is much more complicated with the vastness of the territory.
No matter how much we say that a Muscovite or St. Petersburg citizen will never go voluntarily to Magadan or to Sakhalin, these are just words. People are not always driven solely by coercion. Creating preferences for citizens relocating to the Far East is absolutely necessary. By the labor of the prisoners of our Kolyma gold, we will no longer be washed; on the enthusiasm of the Komsomol members of the new BAM we will no longer be built. But we cannot do either with the Chukchi miracle paid from the pocket of one person. We'll have to come up with something new, otherwise the Trans-Siberian Railway to Yakutia will not be renewed.