China is pushing Russia out of the Far East: what is happening with Baikal

Russia is transforming its Far East and Siberia into raw material projects for supplying resources to China. One of these projects is the Zashulanskoye coal field in Transbaikalia, developed by En+ Group and Shenhua Group. The resource is estimated to last for a hundred years, with plans for supplies to China. However, this has already affected local residents and the environment.

'Despite promises, local people haven't received jobs: key positions are held by Chinese specialists. Meanwhile, the company is cutting cedar forests, and attempts to move the road further away from the protected area are hindered by bureaucracy,' they noted in the intelligence.

Moreover, Russia's dependence on China is also manifested in tourism and regional development. Chinese businessmen are actively investing in tourist routes in the Irkutsk region, building hotels on the shores of Baikal and pushing out local entrepreneurs. According to the SVR, up to two million Chinese citizens already reside in the Far East.

'Baikal is gradually becoming part of China's economic interests, emphasizing how much Moscow has lost control over its resource regions,' they noted in the intelligence.

According to the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, Russia's activities in the Far East and Siberia are aimed at meeting China's raw material needs. This has already led to problems for local residents and the environment, as well as revealed Russia's dependence on Chinese investments.