Belarus deepens ties with Russia’s Murmansk Oblast, Ulyanovsk Oblast

Belarus has been actively cooperating with Murmansk Oblast and Ulyanovsk Oblast for several years now across a wide range of areas. According to Minsk First Vice Mayor Aleksandr Komendant, the Minsk City Hall is designated as the coordinating body for interaction with these two regions. He noted that the purpose of the working group meeting was to review the results of the past year and set goals for 2026. “We are seeing positive dynamics. In terms of figures, exports to Murmansk Oblast exceeded $100 million by the end of 2025, and supplies to Ulyanovsk Oblast increased by about 40%,” said Aleksandr Komendant.

At the start of the meeting, Minsk Mayor Vladimir Kukharev noted that Belarus is actively developing new activities and industries today, and these present good opportunities for cooperation with Russian regions as well. “Despite the positive results of 2025, we should not rest on our laurels, as serious tasks lie ahead,” he said.

Vyacheslav Remenchik, Senior Advisor at the Belarusian Consulate General in St. Petersburg, spoke about cooperation with Murmansk Oblast. He reported that deliveries of Belarusian equipment, including BelAZ, MAZ, and Belkommunmash, are planned for 2026. “In 2026, Murmansk expects to begin trial operation of a MAZ-303 bus, which will be equipped according to the city’s needs. The main phase of testing will take place in winter conditions typical for the region,” he added. Additionally, under an agreement signed in 2025, elevator equipment from Mogilevliftmash is planned for delivery to the region.

One of the topics discussed was the prospect of Belarusian enterprises participating in the construction of the Kola NPP-2.

Viktor Shchetko, Advisor at the Belarusian Consulate General in Kazan, outlined the cooperation plans with Ulyanovsk Oblast. He recalled that last year, aviation enterprises from Minsk and Ulyanovsk signed a major contract for the supply of aircraft components and assemblies. According to him, road construction could also be a promising area for cooperation.

The meeting also addressed the construction of a Belarusian terminal in the seaport of Murmansk for cargo transshipment, as well as cooperation in agriculture, food, aircraft manufacturing, and industry.

Aleksandr Komendant noted that a meeting of the working group on cooperation with Murmansk Oblast and a meeting between the Belarusian side and Ulyanovsk Oblast are planned for the future.