Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a directive on establishing the Novosibirsk Islands Federal Nature Sanctuary in Yakutia. According to Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sergei Donskoi, this will promote the development of tourism in the Arctic.

A specially protected nature reserve with a total area of 6,594,496 hectares will be established on the Novosibirsk Islands archipelago.

"The creation of this sanctuary was essential for preserving these insular systems, the rare species of flora and fauna and unique pieces of inanimate nature," the minister said.

Nature complexes in an established sanctuary are typical of the Arctic as a whole but have some unique features, primarily, owing to the proximity of the Great Siberian Ice Opening. The sanctuary covers northern Arctic tundra in combination with tundra bogs and marshes, stone deserts, seashore sand flats and sand hills with scarce vegetation, polar semi-deserts and deserts.

According to the directive, the sanctuary will be under the authority of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.