Speaking at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, the president stressed that the region is strategically vital for Russia

Russia must continue to develop the Arctic and improve urban environments in the region, President Vladimir Putin has said. He made the remarks at the 6th International Arctic Forum in Murmansk.

Putin reiterated that the region holds great strategic importance for Russia and that there are a number of large-scale and systemic tasks that must be addressed.

"We must strengthen the transport and logistics infrastructure, [and] expand opportunities for the economy and business with the obligatory protection of the sensitive ecosystems of the Arctic," Putin said.

He further stressed the need to "consistently improve the urban environment and develop settlements in the Far North" and to "generally improve the quality of life" in the region to make living in the Arctic "truly comfortable and attractive."

Putin also called on the participants of the forum to come up with concrete plans for developing the Northern Sea Route to provide its cargo flows with infrastructure and a fleet.

Speaking to RT, Andrey Chibis, the governor of Murmansk Region, also stressed the importance of developing the route as a "long, powerful corridor" and the Arctic territories as the basis for the next "major leap forward for the economy of the future."

This year's International Arctic Forum is being held under the motto 'To Live in the North', which organizers say "not only symbolizes the desire to create a comfortable living environment in the harsh conditions of the North but also underscores the region's strategic importance."

The forum is also dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the opening of the Northern Sea Route. Over the past nine years, Russia has made considerable progress in modernizing the route, attracting significant investment from countries such as India and China.

(RT.com)