Moscow’s mayor, Sergei Sobyanin, briefed the city’s leadership and national authorities on a significant financial milestone tied to the Big Circle Line project. According to reports from RIA News, the project’s impact on the federal budget has been substantial, with more than one trillion rubles added to the budget since construction began. The mayor highlighted that these inflows come from extra-budgetary sources that bolster federal spending and stimulate broader economic effects, underscoring the BCL’s role as a key fiscal driver for the capital and the country at large.
In discussions centered on the economy, Sobyanin pointed to notable growth across several sectors in Moscow during 2023. He cited double-digit gains in manufacturing for pharmaceuticals, electronics, and food production, framing these advances as indicators of a resilient and diversified industrial base within the city. He also reported that the completion of residential, social facilities, and commercial real estate projects had surpassed 15 million square meters in Moscow, signaling a robust development pace. Public and private investments in Moscow’s economy reached 6.9 trillion rubles, illustrating a broad-based capital formation that supports job creation and long-term productivity. Among the landmark initiatives he mentioned were the Big Circle Metro Line and the Moscow High-Speed Diameter, both of which are intended to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and enhance connectivity across the metropolitan area.
Further underscoring the city’s growth momentum, Sobyanin emphasized that Moscow’s manufacturing sector was the single strongest growth engine for the urban economy. He noted an absolute record in 2023 for the expansion of manufacturing industries excluding refining, with a year-over-year increase of 22.3 percent. This surge reflects a combination of investments in modern production facilities, technology upgrades, and a skilled workforce that together drive higher output and greater capacity for value-added goods.
Looking ahead, the mayor announced plans related to the construction of Russia’s first major plant dedicated to producing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. The facility is slated to be situated in Krasnaya Pakhra, located within the Troitsky and Novomoskovsky administrative districts. This project is positioned as a strategic component of Russia’s broader push toward electrification, aiming to bolster domestic battery production, support the automotive sector, and contribute to energy transition goals in the region.
Additionally, Sobyanin reaffirmed Moscow’s commitment to fulfill the president’s directives on key initiatives, including the implementation of the high-speed rail project HSR-1. The emphasis on adherence to national directives reflects a coordinated approach to transforming the capital’s infrastructure and economic landscape, aligning municipal plans with broader federal priorities to sustain growth and improve the quality of life for residents.