The acting governor of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Vladislav Kuznetsov, urged the president to secure federal funding to tackle urgent regional challenges. He highlighted deteriorating public infrastructure, the shortage of high-speed Internet, and the need for more highly specialized medical professionals as key problems facing the remote Arctic territory.
Data from the region underscore the scale of the connectivity gap: internet access in roughly 95 percent of settlements relies on low-speed satellite links, while the healthcare system faces staffing bottlenecks. According to Kuznetsov, about 87 percent of doctors and 77 percent of auxiliary health personnel in Chukotka are distributed across the region, underscoring the difficulty of attracting and retaining skilled clinicians in sparsely populated areas.
Addressing President Putin, Kuznetsov called for a larger incentive program to recruit and retain narrow specialists in the region. He proposed increasing the amount of incentive payments for health workers who choose to work in cities with small populations, arguing that targeted financial rewards could help improve access to specialized medical care for residents of remote communities.
Beyond the health sector, Kuznetsov stressed the need for budgetary support to fund essential infrastructure projects in Anadyr, including the construction of treatment facilities and a central sewer system. He also asked for measures to expand and modernize the city’s housing stock, recognizing that adequate housing is a foundational element for attracting professionals and enabling stable long-term community development.
Demographic context remains important: the population of Chukotka numbers fewer than 50 thousand people, with approximately 13 thousand residing in Anadyr, the regional capital. The governor’s appeal comes amid ongoing efforts to balance remote-region development with the realities of its dispersed settlements and challenging logistical environment.
Earlier, Kuznetsov had directed authorities in the Bilibinsky district to address egg shortages, reflecting a broader focus on ensuring food security and reliable public goods in distant areas. In related news, officials in the Moscow region discussed improvements to emergency medical services, underscoring the common national priority of strengthening ambulance services and universal access to timely care, a concern echoed in Chukotka’s planning conversations.
The overall message from the Chukotka administration emphasizes the importance of federal backing to accelerate regional modernization. By aligning strategic investments in health, connectivity, housing, and utilities, the region aims to create a more resilient framework for remote settlement life and for sustaining a capable workforce across its far-flung communities.