Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko has instructed officials at the Russian Ministry of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media to study the possibility of establishing data processing centers in the Arctic. He made this statement at a visiting meeting of the Federation Council’s Council for Digital Economic Development in Murmansk.

“Within this framework, I would like to ask officials at the Ministry of Digital Development to draft a general plan for expanding Russian infrastructure networks in the context of using these opportunities in the Arctic zone. We need to create basic data processing centers there for taking up and using this emerging technological niche,” Chernyshenko said.

He also noted that it was possible to effectively operate these data processing centers in these regions.

“Owing to some climatic conditions, we won’t have to spend any funds on cooling systems, and this could help save up to 40 percent during the operation of these centers,” he added.

Chernyshenko also instructed the Ministry’s officials to introduce digital government services for Arctic residents by 2022.

“In principle, we have to digitalize government services by late 2022 under a presidential instruction. After assessing the real situation, I would like to ask the Ministry’s officials to list the most vitally important and essential services and to also provide the Arctic zone with these services already by late 2021,” Chernyshenko said at the meeting.

In September 2020, Chernyshenko asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to stipulate that all online government services be introduced by late 2022.