Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev says authorities will shut down a paper mill on the shores of Lake Baikal that environmentalists say is a major polluter threatening the world's largest fresh water lake.
Authorities first closed the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill in 2008, before it re-opened in 2010. Then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin at that time stressed that the employment of the mill's 1,500 workers in the East Siberian town of Baikalsk superseded ecological concerns.
Environmentalists said the mill threatened the lake's estimated 1,500 unique species of plants and animals.
Medvedev, who was visiting Lake Baikal on Tuesday, said "there's no way back" on the latest decision to close the plant, Russian news agencies reported.
The prime minister also pledged nearly $1 billion toward the development of the area.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
