Russia Cuts Air Pollution Emissions by 700,000 Tons
Russia’s national environmental ranking recorded a sharp decline in air pollution across major cities, with researchers using artificial intelligence for the first time to help prepare the report.
According to the environmental organization Zelenyy patrul (Green Patrol), cities participating in the Chistyy vozdukh (Clean Air) project saw a significant drop in severe air-pollution episodes in 2025.
Total emissions reductions exceeded 700,000 tons. Nearly 500,000 tons came from the Sernaya programma (Sulfur Program) in Norilsk, while another 37,000 tons resulted from modernization efforts at the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. Researchers also reported improvements in Krasnoyarsk.
The Republic of Altai, Kabardino-Balkaria, the Murmansk Region and Moscow remained the top performers in the environmental ranking. The Omsk, Irkutsk, Chelyabinsk and Kemerovo regions, along with Primorsky and Zabaykalsky kray, ranked near the bottom.
Researchers used artificial intelligence for the first time while preparing the ranking. The growing volume of data from Russia’s weather agency Rosgidromet required nearly two months of AI-system training.
