Arkhangelsk worst in new rating

Of all of Russia’s 83 regions, Arkhangelsk is ranged the last in the rating presented by the Minister of Regional Development in a government meeting this week. The rating shows the Russian regions’ level of success in managing the winter heating season. It is based on twenty parameters, among them the number of power blackouts, fuel reserves, level of preparation, emergency situations and more.

-Please tell us which region got the worst and the best ratings, Putin told Basargin, whereupon the minister said that Arkhangelsk Oblast is the worst and Yyumen Oblast the best, a transcript from the governmental website reads. One of the reasons for the bad score of Arkhangelsk is the blackout in the town of Nyanodoma, located in central parts of the region. As BarentsObserver reported, the town experienced a serious and lengthy power cut in mid-winter with temperatures below minus 20.

The regions with the best score are Tyumen Oblast followed by the Republic of Bashkortostan.

The low rating of Arkhangelsk Oblast is bad news for the regional government, which from before is struggling hard to improve its image in Moscow. In a one-to-one meeting with Prime Minister Putin last year, Mikhalchuk was strongly criticized for his handling of the economic situation in the region.

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In addition, the governor struggles with low popularity on his home ground. In a recent poll, more than one third of the regional respondents say they are dissatisfied with the work of the governor.

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