In 2026, Russia plans to launch a large-scale geological exploration program in the temporarily occupied territory of Donetsk region, designed to run through 2031.
The program предусматривает phased studies of deposits with a focus on raw materials in demand in the modern economy, in particular strategic and rare metals. This is not about one-off geological surveys, but about long-term work divided into several stages.
The basis for the exploration is expected to be Soviet-era geological materials. In the post-Soviet period, research in the region effectively came to a halt, so the occupation authorities now plan to уточнять and update the data, as well as assess the prospects of sites in terms of further industrial development. Funding for the work is declared to come from the Russian state budget, which is indicative, since geological exploration requires significant and long-term investments without quick returns.
The renewed interest in Ukrainian subsoil comes against the backdrop of a worsening situation in Russia’s traditional raw materials sectors. Russia’s oil industry is experiencing serious difficulties: rising production costs, sanctions restrictions, and problems with exports and technology are forcing the Kremlin to look for alternative sources of revenue. In these conditions, the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories are viewed as a resource base to plug budget gaps and support the war economy.
In essence, this is about the deliberate use of Ukrainian land and natural wealth to enrich the aggressor state. By violating international law, Russia is trying to compensate for its own economic failures at the expense of the subsoil of Donetsk region, turning geological exploration not into a tool for regional development, but into a mechanism of resource plundering of the occupied territories.
