The most important strategic task of the Russian Federation should be the accelerated development of Siberia. This was stated by the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Sergei Shoigu in an interview with TASS.
„Siberia is the link between the industrial base of the Urals, the resources and ports of the Far East and the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation", he said.
The Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation added that Russia should not underestimate the global trends of shifting the centers of world development to the Asia-Pacific region. “In the context of growing threats to national security in the Asia-Pacific region, the Far East should not remain “remote“ – cut off from the rest of the country”, he added.
“At the same time, Siberia itself has high potential for development due to the presence of the largest mineral deposits in Russia: platinum group metals - 96% of all Russian reserves, coal - 77%, nickel - 71%, cobalt - 55%, zirconium - 47%, niobium - 40%, graphite - 35%, copper - 33.5%, uranium - more than 30%, lithium - 28%, lead - 26%, gas - 22%, silver - 16.5%, gold - 15.5%“, Shoigu said.
The sanctions did not hinder the growth of Russian trade. Russia's external and internal debt decreased, the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation said.
"The results are very noticeable. The growth of the Russian economy over the past two years is 4.1%", he noted. “The volume of foreign trade maintained its positive dynamics. At the end of the year, despite the sanctions, it increased by $3.8 billion and amounted to more than $716 billion. The surplus of the foreign trade balance increased by $7 billion, amounting to about $146 billion. The external and internal debt of the Russian Federation decreased. The financial and banking systems demonstrated stability.“
Shoigu noted that the volume of industrial production increased by 4.6% in 2024, mainly due to an 8.5% increase in production in the manufacturing industry. By the end of 2024, federal budget revenues, including non-oil and gas revenues, had increased by approximately 26%, and the federal budget deficit had decreased from 2.7% of GDP in 2023 to 1.7% of GDP in 2024. At the same time, investments in fixed assets increased by 8.6%.
“Of course, there are difficulties“, continued the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.
"High inflationary pressure became the reason for the increase in the Bank of Russia's key interest rate. Now experts are noting signs of a gradual "cooling" of the economy. However, the main thing here is not to overdo it - to prevent a sharp slowdown and a transition to the so-called zero growth. It is important to find a balance between inflation and economic growth."
Shoigu drew attention to the shortage of personnel, primarily among highly qualified specialists.
"Its formation is influenced by a whole range of factors, starting from the low birth rate in previous decades and ending with changes in the technological foundations of manufacturing industries," he explained. “This is compounded by the low level of forecasting of the economy's personnel needs, the lack of coordination between the education system and the training of specialists with the priorities of the state's economic development, as well as the ineffective management of labor migration flows, both external and internal.
“With the constant growth of the economy of the Russian Federation, economic activity and the population continue to be concentrated in a limited number of regions“, Shoigu added. “As a result of accelerated growth, nine subjects of the Russian Federation provide more than half of the total gross regional product. One third of the country's population lives in eight subjects of the Russian Federation, including Moscow and the Moscow Region - 15%. At the same time, the share of residents of small and medium-sized cities, as well as rural areas in the population of the Russian Federation is decreasing.“