MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/. Permafrost has been observed melting in Russia, with several provinces at risk of serious consequences, President Vladimir Putin said.
"70% of the territories of the Russian Federation, they are, of course, not directly in the Arctic, they are northern. And some of these territories, these are important territories, they belong to the so-called permafrost zone. But as you know, nothing is permanent. We are currently observing the processes of melting of this permafrost there. This has such serious consequences for a number of regions of the Russian Federation. So here we are ready to combine all our efforts to respond appropriately to these challenges," he said at the summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum.