Press Release, 29.06.2015

Tatiana Shkred, leader of the Voronezh branch of YABLOKO, inspected the area of exploration works in the copper-nickel deposits in the Voronezh region.

On 21 April, YABLOKO held a round table dedicated to the Earth Day “The dangers of raw-based development of the Central Black Earth Region. Non-Raw Alternatives”. On the Earth Day of 22 April, YABLOKO and civil society activists sent 100,000 signatures against nickel production on agricultural lands to the Russian President. The signatories categorically oppose the plans to develop copper-cobalt-nickel deposits in the Voronezh region, which is one of the few in Russia ideal for the development of agriculture.

Despite loud public protests, in late 2011 the government signed a decision on the development of copper-nickel deposits. On 22 May, 2012, the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company won the tender for the works.

The decision to grant a license for the large-scale mining in the area was taken without the strategic socio-economic justification and was contrary to the provisions of the “Food Security Doctrine of the Russian Federation” and “Fundamentals of the state policy in the field of environmental development of the Russian Federation for the period until 2030”.

Preliminary experts’ assessment in the field of hydrogeology, biology, medicine, economics, social science and agriculture, as well as specialists of the Institute of Water Problems of Russian Academy of Sciences confirmed the fears of residents. The natural complex region will be completely ruined in 40 years the project will last.

YABLOKO believes that production of nickel in the Voronezh region is contrary to the long-term interests of the country, as modern agricultural production and agro-industrial facilities, as well as tourism, rather than mining should be developed in the Central Black Earth region of Russia. Also YABLOKO stresses that nature protected areas should be preserved.