Only ‘morons’ argue Far East territories are ‘burden’ for Russia – Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that only ‘morons’ would suggest that the resource-rich but remote and sparsely-populated Far East territories exist only to drain money and can be discarded.

The exchange happened during a meeting with officials on Russky Island in the Primorsky Region, which is part of the nation’s Far East, on Wednesday. The governor of the neighboring Yakutia Region, Aysen Nikolayev, began his speech by saying that although the Far East territories are vital for Russia, the locals “until recently” have felt neglected by Moscow.

“We have even heard from the higher-ups that the Far East is a burden, which only demands payouts and aid from the [federal] budget,” Nikolayev said. Visibly baffled by his statement, Putin jumped to interject.

 I don’t know what morons have been saying that.

The president asked Nikolayev when did this happen. The governor replied “a quarter century ago,” apparently referring to the calamitous early 1990s, when the Russian economy collapsed after the breakup of the Soviet Union. Putin, in turn, said that it would be better to focus on the present day and move forward.

The remote and sparsely-populated Far East territories comprise 41 percent of Russia’s landmass, but only 5.6 percent of the country’s population. The area is rich with a multitude of economic resources, ranging from gold, diamonds and oil to timber and fish. Despite its vast potential, the region remained underdeveloped for decades, and the ongoing population flight exacerbated the situation.

In recent years, the government has launched several programs aimed at revitalizing the Far East and boosting its economy, including providing free land for citizens to develop.

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