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The President was briefed on the situation with floods and wildfires in the regions, as well as on measures to prevent and eliminate the aftermath of natural emergencies in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

According to Alexander Kurenkov, spring flooding continues in ten regions of Russia. Specifically, in the Orenburg Region, 17,800 people, including 4,947 children, have been evacuated. Efforts are underway to address the aftermath of the flood.

In the Kurgan Region, the water level in the Tobol River in Kurgan currently stands at 632 cm, receding by 10 cm over 24 hours. Evacuation efforts have relocated 15,052 people, including 2,258 children.

In the Tyumen Region, 6,951 people, including 2,029 children, have been evacuated, with water levels showing a gradual decrease.

As of May 17, the situation in the Omsk Region has been declared a federal emergency by the government commission. A total of 2,041 people, including 704 children, have been evacuated. The Ust-Ishim District in the Omsk Region is facing the most severe conditions.

The Minister noted that to mitigate the effects of flood damage, four meetings of the government commission were held under his leadership with all the necessary instructions given to provide comprehensive assistance to the affected population, organise payments, and carry out emergency response and damage control works.

All affected people received financial aid.

The President emphasised the need for prompt assessment of household damages for citizens without any delays. He stressed that during the summer months, every effort should be made to restore the housing.

Wrapping up his report, Alexander Kurenkov provided an update on wildfires. He reported that the highest concentration of forest fires is currently in the Amur Region. Overall, since the start of the year, 2,261 forest fires were reported across the Russian Federation, spanning a combined area of 462,416 hectares.

Next, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Alexander Kozlov presented his report. According to him, as of May 18, river water levels are rising in two regions, where they have either already reached dangerous levels or would reach them by late May: these are the Tyumen and Omsk regions. The water levels in the Tobol and Irtysh rivers will continue to rise until June 3–7, and by May 25 will reach dangerous levels.

In Yakutia, the Lena, Aldan, Vilyui and Kolyma rivers are bursting open, forming short-term ice jams that last from several hours to a day. Regional authorities, together with the Emergencies Ministry are carrying out blasting operations, which are expected to last until June 12.

Alexander Kozlov reported that in the second half of May and in June precipitation would begin to fall in the mountains of the North Caucasus and the Southern Federal District, resulting and in a sharp rise in water levels in mountain rivers. The government commission, together with the Emergencies Minister, discussed the need to check riverbeds, underbridge passages, low-water bridges, and dams for the presence of culverts on these rivers and take the necessary measures.

In July-August, rain floods are predicted in the Far East along the Amur River basin, and a cyclone from the Sea of Japan will also approach.

As for the forest fires, according to the Minister’s report, almost 400,000 hectares of forest land have been burned by fires since the beginning of the year. In 2023, the figure was 895,000 as of this date, that is, the dynamics are good and positive.

In May, the peak zone will extend to the Trans-Baikal Territory and the Amur Region, where 90 percent of all fires are concentrated. A difficult situation is forecast for Buryatia, the central and western parts of the Irkutsk Region, the south of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Altai Territory, the Republic of Tyva and the Tomsk Region until the end of May.

The June forecast predicts the beginning of the summer fire season. In terms of the territory, it is expected to cover the north of the Khabarovsk Territory, the Amur Region (except for its central and southern parts), eastern and central Yakutia, central part of the Trans-Baikal Territory, the Irkutsk Region, the north of the Urals, the Altai Territory, the Tomsk Region and the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

All these forecasts were considered at the meeting of the Rosleskhoz [Federal Agency for Forestry] response centre and plans for interregional manoeuvring to attract additional assets and forces from neighbouring regions were approved.

In conclusion, Alexander Kozlov reported on his recent meeting with Dmitry Patrushev, who, as Deputy Prime Minister, oversees this area, so he was briefed on the agenda. The work during the fire season will be carried out together with the governors.

Next, Vladimir Putin asked the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, who heads the Russia-North Korea intergovernmental commission, about the commission’s work under the previously designed plan.

According to Alexander Kozlov, the plans are ambitious, and their implementation is already underway: for example, there has been a good exchange of tourist groups. The development of breeding and agriculture is also discussed, as well as other areas. For instance, representatives of the Moscow Zoo have recently visited the DPRK, and a Russian ballet company performed in Pyongyang. As the Minister noted, both sides stay in constant contacts, and the plans are to continue this work.