Russia’s Environmental Regulator Is to Deploy AI and Satellite Data to Monitor Mining Activity
The new digital approach is designed to prevent violations and protect the environment during mineral extraction.
Russia’s environmental watchdog, Rosprirodnadzor, plans to begin using artificial intelligence in 2026 to analyze data during inspections of mining companies. The move marks the next stage in the digital transformation of regulatory oversight, with satellite imagery playing a central role and shifting enforcement from a punitive model toward a preventive one.
A “Digital Twin” for Oversight
The system will automatically generate warnings for subsoil users if signs of violations are detected, particularly in the closure of mining sites and in ensuring the safety of areas after operations end. “We are still at an early stage, but we will definitely implement this,” Zhulina added.
The foundation of the new system is Earth remote sensing data. Satellite imagery has made it possible to create what officials describe as a “digital twin” of regulatory oversight. Inspectors can now compare what is happening at a site in real time with approved project documentation without traveling to the location. This reduces interaction with compliant businesses and allows regulators to focus on genuine risks.
Greater Accountability to Society and Nature
According to the agency, satellite monitoring represents a fundamentally different approach to oversight, where the primary goal is to prevent environmental harm rather than calculate damage after it has already occurred.
What sets the Russian project apart is its scale and integrated design. It combines satellite monitoring, big data analysis, and preventive AI algorithms. In global terms, the initiative is being positioned as an example of systemic digital transformation in public administration within the resource extraction sector. The technology helps protect ecosystems, balances the regulatory burden on businesses, and safeguards the interests of communities living near mining sites.
In 2026, Zhulina said, Rosprirodnadzor plans to carry out preventive inspections using AI at more than 3,000 mining sites operated by emerging “junior” companies. The goal is to build a high-tech oversight ecosystem that makes the extractive industry more transparent and more accountable to society and the environment.
