Over 205 million roubles will be allocated to facilitate the operation of the North Pole drifting station. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a relevant executive order, RIA Novosti has reported, citing the government’s press service.

“The federal budget will provide a subsidy in the amount of 205,209,000 roubles to fund the resumption of national research expeditions in the Arctic. This will help stabilize and develop Russia’s presence in the world’s oceans, including the growing natural resources management and environmental protection in the Arctic,” a reference to the document states.

As mentioned in the document, the North Pole drifting station plays an important role in ensuring Russia’s presence in the high-latitude regions of the Arctic, securing a key role in conducting comprehensive research in the Arctic region.

The drifting stations program was suspended in 2013 following the evacuation of the North Pole-40 station due to abnormal nature occurrences in the Arctic zone. In 2015, the North Pole station will operate seasonally, rather than year-round. The station opened on April 19 and will work in the area of the geographic North Pole, near the Russian Geographical Society’s ice camp.