Ura-Guba feels like it’s at the end of the world. 500 people live here, north of the Arctic Circle and a good hour’s drive from Murmansk in Russia. It is cold here and in winter it is dark most of the day. But there is good fishing here.
So far, hardly anyone has been interested in this spot in the arctic north of Russia. But that is changing, because a subsidiary of the Russian gas company Novatek is installing a large transfer station for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the fjord off Ura-Guba. And in just a few weeks, this sleepy corner is set to become a hub for LNG deliveries from the Russian gas fields on the Yamal Peninsula to Europe.
Despite the Ukraine war and sanctions against Russia, Russian LNG exports to Europe are booming. Here, in Russia’s arctic north, Russia continues to drive business forward. A crucial step was taken last week.