Belarus is ready to take an active part in updating the machinery fleet of Russia’s Murmansk Oblast, Belarus’ Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Sivak said during a meeting with Murmansk Oblast Governor Andrei Chibis to discuss promising areas of cooperation with the region.
Anatoly Sivak noted that relations between Belarus and Murmansk Oblast have a solid foundation and are built not only on agreements, but also on strong friendly ties. “Today, Murmansk Oblast is one of the most reliable and consistent partners of the Republic of Belarus,” he said. “One of the key areas of our long-standing cooperation is the partnership between the mining and processing companies of the Kola Peninsula and the flagship of Belarusian industry: the Belarusian Automobile Plant [BelAZ]. It is extremely important that this cooperation goes beyond traditional supply contracts and is developing further through improved service mechanisms and other components that ensure the uninterrupted operation of Belarusian haul trucks in harsh climatic conditions. We continue working in this direction, responding attentively to customer needs.”
The Vice Primier thanked the regional leadership for giving priority to passenger vehicles produced by MAZ and Belkommunmash when renewing the local public transport fleet.
“Taking into account the region’s requests and in line with bilateral agreements, we are working on optimally adapting the technical specifications of supplied passenger vehicles to northern conditions, ensuring prompt delivery of spare parts and components, and providing high-quality, timely technical service,” Anatoly Sivak said.
Industrial cooperation also remains a priority.
“We hope to further expand the presence of BelAZ haul trucks at the industrial sites of the region’s mining companies, given the continuous development of the mining sector,” he added.
Belarus also reaffirms its interest in participating in the renewal of the passenger transport fleet and improving service support. “We are ready to supply another batch of modern trolleybuses and buses based on existing demand, including using financing tools already tested by the Belarusian side. As agreed, we confirm our intention to provide a MAZ 303 bus for trial operation. We also hope to continue contributing to the renewal of the region’s tractor fleet by supplying modern models tailored to current needs,” Anatoly Sivak noted.
Trade between Belarus and Murmansk Oblast has more than doubled since 2021 and in recent years has amounted to $250-290 million. Last year, Belarusian exports rached $103.9 million, which was 5% more year-on-year. Belarus supplied trucks, petroleum products, earth-moving machinery, silicates, animal feed products, steel structures, and other goods. Imports consisted mainly of calcium phosphates, aluminum wire, unprocessed nickel, refined copper and copper alloys, feldspar, and other products.
