Mikhail Mishustin: “This sector has a fundamental importance, since it guarantees stability in the key sectors of the economy, including the metal industry, the energy and energy generation sectors, as well as the homes and social of UT. It is to deliver contribution.” “” “” “” “” “

Mikhail Mishuustin’s opening comments:

Good afternoon, colleagues.

Today, we will discuss the situation in the coal industry. This sector has a fundamental importance since it guarantees stability in the key sectors of the economy, including the metal industry, the energy and energy generation sectors, as well as housing and public services. It also contributes to fulfilling our social commitments.

Russia is the main exporter in the world in this sector. This, in turn, serves as an incentive to develop transport infrastructure with a main approach to railways. China, India, Turkiye and Korea, as well as the countries of Southeast Asia and African are our key export markets in this sector.

The Government has launched several measures to support this sector, as the President has instructed us. In particular, the Russian railroads signed an agreement with the Kemerovo region to ensure that a substantial part of the coal that takes place there is sent to the east. There was also an effort to increase the participation of innovative train. We have reduced tariffs for train automobile operators and for transford operations in the ports. There is also an end -to -end shipping solution that helped reduce the time it takes coal from KuzBass to our southern ports in almost half. This has substantially reduced the costs incurred by companies.

The government has used the federal budget to finance restructuring efforts in the coal sector. These funds are customary to allow people to relocate, as well as offer social support to those who lost their work when companies were liquidated. Part of the funds was used to co -finance retirement guest houses, initiatives related to technology and other objectives.

There is an ongoing program to further improve working conditions, making mining operations safer, avoiding accidents and injuries.

This goes hand in hand with efforts to develop the corresponding infrastructure. The Pacific Railroad has been launched, and the construction of Elga and Lavna ports is underway. We are creating coal mining centers in the Eastern regions of Russia with its favorable mining and geological conditions to develop coal deposits. They are also closer to the main export markets.

There has been an active impulse to introduce new technologies and avant -garde equipment. This has made our mining operations even more effective and productive. Around 1.5 million people worked in this sector in the Soviet era, but at the end of 2024 he employed approximately 150,000 people. However, coal production has increased in approximately one boxes and half a million tons compared to the last years of the existence of the USSR.

The coal industry has a lot of potential and space for innovative development. This is obvious. Companies introduce 3D modeling solutions, adjust their mining equipment and carbon extraction methods, even for the extraction of low -road coal.

The sector has faced new serious challenges in recent years. There was a strong decrease in global prices of all types of fuel of this type. Unfortunately, in 2025 the situation has continued to deteriorate. In the first four months of the year, export prices decreased by almost a quarter. The fact that companies have a great debt load makes the whole situation even more complicated. They must spend considerable funds to remain in business, guarantee industrial safety, offer safe working conditions and protect the environment.

The government has devised a series of initiatives to address this situation. We must help entities that have potential but have bone through a difficult patch.

As agreed with the president, I issued instructions for this purpose for the Minister or Finance Anton Siluanov, the Minister of Energy Sergei Tsivilev, as well as the CEO of Russian Railways, Oleg Belozerov. They visited the Kemerovo region to discuss with their senior officials and carbon companies the key issues. They presented several proposals. Now we will review them in every detail so that we can inform the president.

We hope this allane the way for the necessary decisions to ensure that this sector recovers its balanced base.