Five Essential Reads on the Arctic

From the destruction of the tundra to Patrushev’s role on the Maritime Board: five key Arctida texts of 2025

In 2025, Arctida continued to make the Arctic more transparent—through research, investigations, and data analysis. We examined the impacts of the climate crisis and industrial pressure on the region, the growing securitization of the Arctic, and the changing situation of Indigenous peoples. From dozens of pieces on these topics, we selected five that illustrate what is happening in the Arctic today and how it is shaping the region’s future.

Scars of the Tundra

One of the most striking—and alarming—pieces of 2025 is an investigation into how heavy tracked vehicles are literally plowing the Russian Arctic. We showed how all-terrain vehicles that have been used in the tundra for decades leave behind not temporary marks, but real wounds that can persist for centuries. Kilometer-long ruts, visible even in satellite imagery, destroy vegetation cover, leading to the degradation of reindeer pastures and accelerating permafrost thaw.

The Arctida investigation, published jointly with NeMoskva and Most.Media, draws on satellite monitoring data and documents dozens of cases of large-scale vegetation destruction across eight Arctic regions. In one location, the tracks were found even within the boundaries of a protected reserve where the use of tracked vehicles is prohibited altogether.The piece not only details the consequences of using this kind of transport but also outlines possible solutions. Arctida proposed switching to ultra-low-pressure tire vehicles, improving legislation, and strengthening enforcement mechanisms.

After publishing the investigation, we sent formal appeals to authorities in all ten regions of the Russian Arctic—and saw tangible results. The Ministry of Natural Resources of the Komi Republic and the Ministry of Ecology of Krasnoyarsk Krai supported Arctida’s proposals, and several regions suggested conducting additional research.

Like Fish in Water: Patrushev Ushers Security Forces to the Arctic

Arctida closely monitors the activities of former head of the FSB and Russia’s Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, in the Arctic, as well as the broader process of militarization and securitization of the region. One of this year’s key texts on the subject examines how the Maritime Board is changing under Patrushev’s leadership—and what that means for the Arctic.

For this investigation, we analyzed recent changes in the board’s membership and public statements from its press service. Arctida found that under Patrushev, the board has taken on the features of an independent institution reporting directly to the president, with a sharp increase in the influence of officials from the security services.

We also take a close look at the new version of the Maritime Doctrine, in which the Arctic and the World Ocean are firmly defined as spaces of national security.

An Oil Sector Bureaucrat

In April 2025, members of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East (RAIPON) elected a new president. Arctida, together with the 7x7 media outlet, examined how the association’s new head, Alexander Novyukhov, is connected to the oil industry.

We found that Novyukhov spent 14 years leading “Save Yugra,” an organization funded by oil companies, publicly defended extractive corporations, and turned a blind eye to their numerous environmental violations.

Novyukhov’s appointment also proved convenient for the state: he is “quiet and compliant,” avoids conflicts with big business exploiting Arctic nature, and helps Russia present itself favorably on the international stage, including at the UN.Meanwhile, as associations created to protect Indigenous rights are co-opted by extractive companies and the authorities, Indigenous communities are increasingly suffering from climate change and rising industrial pressure on the region.

Rating of Russian Arctic regions by energy transition

From bad news to good: Arctida’s study 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 any other region on the planet, while the energy sector remains the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

As part of the study, we analyzed how Russia’s Arctic regions are introducing renewable energy, developing electric transport, and improving building energy efficiency. Together with Esli Byt Tochnym, we compiled a ranking of leaders and laggards.

We also highlighted the most successful practices, including the development of wind farms in Murmansk Oblast, electric transport in Krasnoyarsk Krai, and the shift from coal and heavy fuel oil to biofuels in northern regions with a strong forestry sector.

Contradictions in Public Opinion about the Arctic

In February 2025, Arctida, together with researchers from Russian Field, conducted a second public opinion survey on the Arctic, following up on a 2023 study. The results showed that Russians are encountering the topic of the Arctic more frequently in the media—but largely through a militarized lens. Nearly one-third of respondents associate mentions of the region with politics and the military, a 21% increase compared to the previous survey.

This year’s research also revealed striking contradictions in public perceptions. More than 55% of Russians view the Arctic as a territory of dialogue, stability, and constructive cooperation, yet more than half of respondents simultaneously support its militarization.

Most respondents favor oil and gas extraction in the region and see the Arctic as a strategic resource. At the same time, the number of people concerned about climate change and supportive of measures to reduce environmental harm is growing.

Together with a Russian Field expert, we unpacked the roots of these contradictions and what they reveal about how the Arctic is perceived in Russian society.

Bonus: Discover the Path Our Team Has Taken Over the Past Three Years

Arctida marked its anniversary not only with major investigations and research but also with a story about the team’s past and present. Our report shows how a trip to Karelia led to the project’s creation, how many journalism award nominations our work has received, and why 2025 became a year of major change for us.

Learn about all this—and much more—in our report.

Cover photo by Unsplash / Vidar Nordli-Mathisen