'The Pipe Calls, But It's Not There': Chibis on Gazprom's Key Projects
On January 22, at a press conference for journalists, Murmansk Region Governor Andrey Chibis commented on the implementation of key Arctic projects and their relation to the current economic situation.
The key project named is the Murmansk transport hub. Increasing its capacity threefold, as the president mentioned, may require 2–3 trillion rubles (approx. $20–$30 billion at current rates). The construction of a main gas pipeline about 1,340 km long is estimated at approximately 1.5 trillion rubles (approx. $15 billion at current rates), but implementation is complicated by sanctions and the lack of necessary resources at Gazprom. «The pipe calls, but the pipe isn»t there,« Chibis noted.
He emphasized that such large-scale projects require time, comprehensive planning, and concentration of resources. The president set a target date — 2030. Among the priorities, the governor named the creation of a trans-Arctic transport corridor and two multimodal logistics hubs — in Murmansk and Vladivostok.
«First, infrastructure must appear, and only then will cargo flow,» added Chibis, emphasizing the need for a sequential approach to project implementation.
More about the press conference
Andrey Chibis«s press conference lasted more than four hours. Journalists, bloggers, as well as public page and channel administrators gathered: we showed what treats they were welcomed with at the event. The event began with a presentation by the governor, in which he detailed how he sees the development of the Murmansk Region in 2026.
The first question asked to the governor was about gas prices. Next, Andrey Chibis answered whether the timelines for major repairs would be accelerated. He was also asked what will happen with garbage in the region and if new productions will appear.
Journalist 51.RU Alexandra Balaba asked the governor if anything can be done about fish prices: in Vladimir Putin«s opinion, Russians lack this product in their diet.
The press conference was very emotional at times, at one point Andrey Chibis sincerely admitted who he«d like to punch in the face. Another sharp question was asked to the governor about the resettlement of dilapidated housing. Questions were also raised about the renewal of Severomorsk and about what business helps develop the region.
Many topics were raised at the meeting with journalists: what savings will lead to in the budget sphere, why snow in Murmansk is black again, what is happening with medicine, how to accelerate the process of resettlement from emergency housing.
