Special Presidential Representative for Environmental Protection, Ecology and Transport Sergei Ivanov told Rossiya 24 TV channel that corporate responsibility for shelf oil spills should be extended to the tundra.

"I think it's time we expanded the environment related sections of the law on the continental shelf to the mainland. There are distinct laws for offshore and onshore oil and gas production. I don't see the point in their being different," he said.

Mr. Ivanov suggests that damage from oil spills in the tundra is comparable to that in the Arctic seas.

According to Mr. Ivanov, strict environment-related legal standards are in effect in the Arctic. A law has been passed on offshore environmental standards for oil and gas producers.

The Russian Ministry of Natural Resources has suggested tightening oil company administrative responsibility for being unprepared to remove oil spills and for hiding accident related events.