Yakutia may receive federal subsidies for intra-regional flights

Ministries and agencies will consider federal budget subsidies for intra-regional flights in Russia's Far East, where distances between settlements within a single region can exceed 1,000 km. Minister for the Development of the Far East and Arctic Alexei Chekunkov announced this at a meeting of the State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes.

Chekunkov said flight subsidies are currently at a historically high level of 23 billion rubles per year, and that parts of their structure could be reviewed to improve efficiency. He said President Vladimir Putin has supported the possibility of federal support for intra-regional flights when needed. The task now, he said, is to set up this work effectively, including within the Unified Far Eastern Company.

Specifically, subsidies for flights within Yakutia and Khabarovsk Krai, where distances between settlements may exceed 1,000 to 2,000 km, are planned to be considered. Chekunkov noted that the authorities responsible for developing the macroregion are awaiting a list of instructions from the head of state following the Eastern Economic Forum before starting the work.