November 8, 2011– On today’s Moscow Times Opinion page,  the co-founder of Russia’s Party of People’s Freedom blasted the Medvedev government and the state oil company, Gazprom, for violating national laws and international accords. Vladimir Ryzhkov also hinted at corruption in the government’s project to build a natural gas pipeline across the Ukok Plateau, despite its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Ryzhkov served as a State Duma representative from 1993 to 2007 and currently hosts a political radio talk show.

October 31, 2011- In reply to a letter from Cultural Survival, Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment acknowledged “high ecological risks” in the proposed construction of a natural gas pipeline across the Ukok Plateau, reiterating its preference for alternate routes. The letter, signed by N.R.

The Altai Project reports that Russian energy giant Gazprom has begun intensive surveying work on a controversial natural gas pipeline from Russia to China even though the Russian Natural Resources ministry has voiced concerns that the pipeline would violate UNESCO conventions and recommended alternative routes be studied.

In a letter addressed to the Fund for 21^st Century Altai, Russia’s Minister of Natural Resources, R. R. Gizatulin,  said that building a pipeline across the Ukok Plateau would violate Russia’s obligations to protect the Golden Mountains of Altai UNESCO World Heritage Site, of which Ukok is a part. The letter, dated July 21, 2011, was published by altapress.ru on August 3.