Everyone understands what's happening, but no one knows what to do: Sikhote-Alin Reserve in serious danger

The pressure on the Sikhote-Alin Reserve, a sanctuary for Amur tigers in the Far East, continues. No one wants to abandon plans for global development for gold mining. But the main problem is that everyone understands what's happening, but no one knows what to do!

So, colleagues are sending responses from agencies. We document every step, every response, every bureaucratic reply from officials. This data set is proof of the chaotic and insane pressure on the wildlife and unique reserve. And no one can do anything about it! Regional authorities, represented by the regional government, fully support "development for gold," and agency employees cannot effectively influence this: they risk repercussions for taking initiative.

Now, let's examine the direct response from the regional environmental prosecutor's office. But first, briefly, in summary—what everyone understands:

• The industrial site is practically adjacent to the reserve. The "Glukhoye" deposit, where they want to mine gold, is located in the protected area of the specially protected natural territory (SPNT), only 100–150 meters from the reserve's border. Moreover, in the CRUCIAL AND EXTREMELY IMPORTANT HEADWATERS OF THE COLUMBE RIVER. These are, I remind you, the main water arteries of local ecosystems.

  
  

• It's not about a few exploratory wells, but about creating a large industrial cluster. It has been directly stated that they plan to build a mining and processing plant with a gold extraction factory, new and reconstructed roads, substations, and up to 100 km of power lines. Investments are estimated at 46–48 billion rubles, and they want to extract the first gold by 2030.

  
  

• To implement the project, they are DIRECTLY demanding to change the protection regime of the natural territory. Among the primary conditions in the documents are changing the boundaries of the reserve's protected area, altering its regulations, and removing parts of specially protected forest areas to accommodate the quarry and industrial infrastructure.

  
  

• The ecological corridor of the endangered tiger is under threat. Roads, power lines, and industrial facilities will disrupt the natural connection between the Sikhote-Alin Reserve and the "Udege Legend" National Park—a corridor the reserve itself calls crucial for the tiger and other large mammals.

  
  
• The risk will inevitably spread far beyond the industrial cluster itself—through water. There is already such a precedent. For example, after geological exploration in 2017, the reserve (experts) recorded a disturbance in the state of water horizons and the composition of aquatic organisms. Moreover, according to their data, even after six years, THEY HAVE NOT RECOVERED, while future industrial development involves earthworks and blasting directly in the river headwaters, which then flow through the reserve.

Good graphics were published by the reserve's staff on their website; they are doing a great job and publicly speaking about the problem. 

This is brief! Just the facts about what's happening. Moreover, I remind all our colleagues that in recent years, gold miners in Russia pollute TENS OF THOUSANDS OF KILOMETERS OF RIVERS annually. And if a couple of years ago there was still independent expertise, nature defenders could identify crimes against wildlife, today this is not the case. It has been banned. Yet the pollution HAS NOT DISAPPEARED, and our rivers are still being poisoned by gold miners.

Moreover, a few years ago, the problem even reached the Federation Council, and then high-ranking officials personally confirmed that, as a rule, gold mining companies take a license for "exploration," but actually conduct mining. And thus blatantly circumvent all legislative restrictions.

You can read about this in a separate article to understand the scale of the problem: https://pavel-pashkov.com/articles/en/goldmining

So, the problem with the Sikhote-Alin Reserve is entirely different: here they are directly demanding to change the protection status and "move the boundaries" to establish a huge industrial cluster. And this is in a rare wildlife sanctuary where animals and plants can still find refuge from humans.

What do we hear now in all the responses from regional officials and agencies? All these responses are built on three theses:

1. The company was indeed previously held accountable, and cases were initiated against it for serious violations during "gold exploration." No one hides this.

   
   

2. Currently, the company only has a license for gold exploration, but actual mining is prohibited here. Therefore, "everything is fine, no need to worry," no one plans to mine gold.

   
   
3. A huge wide strip is not a road. It turns out, legally, it was designated as a "mineralized strip" to prevent future fires.

And all this is accompanied by a direct project of a huge industrial cluster in the protected area of one of Russia's most unique reserves, a biological refuge for the endangered tiger.

That is, I repeat: EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT THEY PRETEND NOTHING IS HAPPENING. Do I even need to say that if gold exploration is underway, it is precisely with the aim of mining it? And the "mineralized strip" in the wildest places is suspiciously well-constructed for the passage of heavy machinery?

Now let's analyze the official response from the Amur Basin Environmental Prosecutor's Office. Many of you, colleagues, are now receiving a copy of this response to our inquiries.

First, I would like to say that the prosecutors are doing a great job. They were the ones who identified crimes against nature, responded, and were not afraid to stand up for the reserve. But I also understand the pressure there and how they can be pressured for attempts to "show initiative." For example, I remind you that prosecutors who defended the Lago-Naki Plateau in the Western Caucasus were dismissed "due to loss of trust." Such events spread instantly within the agency, and few dare to investigate and voice problems afterward.

Now, quoting from the document.

"The Amur Basin Environmental Prosecutor's Office has reviewed your appeal dated 29.07.2026 (OGR-427573-26), received on 05.08.2026 from the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation, regarding violations of environmental legislation during geological exploration in the protected area of the Sikhote-Alin State Natural Biosphere Reserve (hereinafter referred to as the reserve) and other issues.

The investigation established that the Department of Subsoil Use for the Far Eastern Federal District issued a license on 04.08.2022 to LLC 'Glukhoye Gold Mining Company' (hereinafter referred to as the company, LLC 'ZRK Glukhoye') for geological exploration of the ore gold deposit at the 'Glukhoye' site.

On 20.08.2025, a lease agreement for forest plots located within the boundaries of the reserve's protected area was concluded between the Ministry of Forestry, Environmental Protection, Wildlife, and Natural Resources of the Primorsky Krai (hereinafter referred to as the ministry) and the company.

In fulfillment of the representation of the Vladivostok Interdistrict Environmental Prosecutor's Office dated 27.10.2025, LLC 'ZRK Glukhoye' submitted a forest development project to the ministry on 04.12.2025 (approved by order on 11.12.2025). The ministry's order dated 11.12.2025 was canceled following a protest by the environmental prosecutor's office on 19.02.2026.

By order of the ministry dated 17.04.2026, after eliminating deficiencies, LLC 'ZRK Glukhoye' approved an updated forest development project.

The company has established a forest infrastructure facility—a mineralized strip—on the surveyed area, which is within the boundaries of the reserve's protected area.

The creation of the mineralized strip is provided for by the forest development project of LLC 'ZRK Glukhoye,' approved on 17.04.2026.

The location of the specified forest infrastructure facility corresponds to the forest declaration of LLC 'ZRK Glukhoye' dated 08.05.2026, as well as the coordinates and description of the area.

No facts of illegal construction of forest roads by the company within the leased area were identified."

It states that the wide strip where they plan to mine gold is simply a "mineralized strip." Wide, convenient for the passage of heavy machinery, and planned to be built almost a kilometer long. Legally, it is not a road, as you can see, but a fire protection measure in the protected area of the country's most important reserve.

According to scientific data, it is from such places that forest fires usually start, because access is opened for people, hunters, poachers, and so on. That is, road surfaces are the sites of fire outbreaks.

But even without delving into scientific research: where are the independent environmental assessments confirming that such a wide, large "mineralized strip" should be here? If we are talking about a reserve, any intervention must be scientifically justified, with supporting documents, studies, and expert conclusions. You are not laying a strip in a city park, but in a biological refuge.

"At the same time, the environmental prosecutor's office established that in 2026, the company conducted geological exploration work on the site that was not provided for by the project documentation schedule for geological exploration of subsoil.

The Vladivostok Interdistrict Environmental Prosecutor's Office submitted a representation to the head of LLC 'ZRK Glukhoye' on 24.08.2026 (under review).

In relation to an official of LLC 'ZRK Glukhoye,' the environmental prosecutor's office initiated an administrative offense case on 28.08.2026 under Part 2 of Article 7.3 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the conditions provided by the subsoil use license and project documentation requirements)."

Here, the prosecutor's office confirms that the company has indeed already violated the law. In fact, there is nothing to say: we see the ambitions of the businessmen, and it is not surprising—after all, we are talking about at least tens of billions of rubles.

"In the activities of the FGBU 'Sikhote-Alin State Reserve,' a fact of improper exercise of powers in the field of protection of specially protected natural areas was established. Based on the results of the consideration of the representation of the environmental prosecutor's office dated 31.07.2026, an official of LLC 'ZRK Glukhoye' was summoned on 15.09.2026 to initiate an administrative offense case under Article 8.39 of the Administrative Offenses Code of the Russian Federation (violation of the rules for the protection and use of natural resources in specially protected natural areas) due to non-compliance with fire safety rules in the reserve's protected area.

The KGBU 'Primles,' responsible for forest control and protection in the region, did not properly exercise its powers for timely prevention of violations, response to illegal activities of the subsoil user, and bringing guilty parties to justice as established by law. In this regard, the Vladivostok Interdistrict Environmental Prosecutor's Office submitted a representation to the director of KGBU 'Primles' on 19.08.2026 (under review).

You will be additionally informed about the results of the consideration of the adopted prosecutorial response acts."

Again, it is stated here that the violations were serious, including inadequate response by nature protection staff to violations by the businessman.

And, in fact, the document—the prosecutor's response—concludes with the following:

"According to the information provided by the FGBU 'Sikhote-Alin State Reserve,' the population of the Amur tiger in the reserve is stable and has remained at the level of 26–28 individuals since 2022.

The population of all ungulate species (including wild boar) is stable, with a tendency for some species to increase, and is sufficient to provide a food base for Amur tigers.

Compliance with the requirements of legislation in the field of specially protected natural areas, as well as the elimination of identified violations, is under the control of the environmental prosecutor's office."

They confirm that about 28 tigers permanently reside in the reserve—this is a significant number. There are only about 750 tigers left in total, and they are listed in the Red Book. The Sikhote-Alin Reserve, as a biological refuge, provides conditions for the permanent residence of dozens of tigers. Moreover, due to pressure on other territories, other tigers may migrate there over long distances, ensuring genetic exchange. The Sikhote-Alin Reserve today serves as a point of self-restoration for biological systems: its conservation value is exceptionally high and is key to this region.

This is the response from the prosecutor's office. They said what they could say, and it is not surprising that no one expresses personal opinions: obvious things that everyone understands are preferred to be silenced. Everything boils down to "legal nuances" and bureaucracy.

But do you know what the businessmen are really waiting for? What everyone is now silent about but fully understands? A bill that allows, in the interests of big business, to change and even abolish the boundaries of any specially protected natural areas. This project has already passed the first reading and is preparing for final adoption! Previously, it was attempted to be introduced for consideration under different numbers and from different regions for years, and we barely managed to fend off this madness. But now, in conditions where civil society is suppressed, they seem to be aiming for absolute victory, and then any reserves can be practically divided for industrial development among the wealthy.

This bill has been attempted to be pushed through seven times in a row, and now the eighth attempt may be successful. That is, they have been consciously breaking through the reserve system for many years!

Right now, we are trying to stop this. Participate in our Public Initiative to protect Russia's reserve system, time is very short: https://pavel-pashkov.com/initiatives/en/refuge

We will fight! There is no one else to protect nature: it's just us and the long-suffering Russian Taiga, which is being torn apart for enrichment.

© PAVEL PASHKOV