Starting October 1, 2026, Russia’s Federal service for supervision of natural resources will receive expanded powers to monitor the mining operations in the country.
According to a Russian government decree, if the supervisory body identifies signs of violations using drones, photo, and video recording, it will have the right to organize an unscheduled inspection. Currently, drones are used only to collect evidence during inspections.
Starting in October, the discovery of structures, equipment, mine workings, or drill holes outside the boundaries of a licence area will trigger an unscheduled inspection.
An inspection will also be organised if waste storage sites not specified in the design documentation are discovered, or if signs of actual mining activity are detected in an area allocated for geological exploration.
Alex Shishlo, Editor in Chief of the European Bureau, Rough&Polished
