Umka — An Ice City for Russia is to be built 1,000 miles from North Pole

The Daily Mail announced on October 24th that Russia is to build an ultra-modern city on a frozen island deep inside the Arctic Circle — in the Kremlin's latest move to back its claim to vast oil and gas reserves under the polar ice cap.

Ice City. Originally appeared on The Daily Mail
> The City will cost up to £4 billion (6.4 billion US$, €4.6 billion) and be built on the
remote island of Kotelniy, in the Novosibirsk archipalego, some 1,000 miles from the North Pole

This city, named Umka, after a popular Soviet polar bear cub cartoon hero, "will be of strategic importance as Russia's northern outpost," said architect Valery Rzhevskiy, in charge of the design of this city.

In the beginning, Umka will host 5,000 residents within a vast dome which aims at protecting them from temperatures sinking below minus 30C in winter. This Ice City will be equipped with all the specific needs so that residents will enjoy a luxury lifestyle in the cocoon with its own specially regulated temperate climate — including many facilities to make inhabitants of other cities envious.

Valery Rzhevskiy adds "We aim to have scientific laboratories, houses, but also parks with attractions, an Aqua complex, hostels and a cathedral. Naturally there will be schools, kindergartens, rcreation zones, a hospital, and sports facilities are planned, too."

Ice City. Originally appeared on The Daily Mail
> The Umka designs are based on the International Space Station but in comparison
is much larger — one mile long and 800 yards wide.

What's On Ningbo brings another detail on this design project: electricity will be supplied by a floating nuclear power station. Food wise, it will be totally self-sufficient with fish and poultry farms, greenhouses, a wheat processing factory and bakeries. No rubbish as the city will have two factories which functions will be to converting all kinds into ashes.

According to the same Rzhevskiy, "this project is designed to work on any surface, even on the Moon if needed". Very ambitious.

Originally appeared on What's On Ningbo

This city's plan has however not fixed timeble for opening yet, What's On Ningbo reports. As all countries with territory touching Arctic waters are gearing up to make competing demands to the United Nations over underwater mineral exploiting rights, it will not be surprising that this city will be built soon. Since as Russian polar explorer Artur Chilingarov said in 2007, "we must prove the north pole is an extension of the Russian land mass", the competition is open… with Umka, an Ice City.


This naturally raises a question: can we call this Ice City a backup city for Russia?

Source: The Daily Mail and What's On Ningbo