Russian officials plan to assist in the social and economic development of the country's Arctic region, Environment Minister Sergei Donskoi said in Murmansk at a meeting with researchers from the North Pole-2015 drifting polar research station.

"Revival of the Arctic is one of the world's major goals and one of Russia's key goals," Mr Donskoi said and noted that earlier, the Russian Arctic had strong economic support that went into decline in the 1990s.

Additionally, special attention will be paid to developing the Northern Sea Route and exploring Arctic's natural resources.