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Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the creation of a diamond cutting cluster in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Smolensk Region, according to a decree published on the official portal of legal acts. The decree, aimed at developing Russia's diamond cutting industry, is set to take effect on March 1, 2027.

Coverage Comparison

The only coverage of this story reviewed for this article comes from TASS, the Russian state news agency. Two separate TASS reports provide the basis for this account: one detailing the presidential decree and another focusing on a meeting between Putin and the CEO of Alrosa, the state-controlled diamond mining giant.

The first report, published August 6, quotes directly from the decree, which states: "In order to develop the diamond cutting industry in the Russian Federation, I hereby instruct to establish a diamond cutting cluster (hereinafter also referred to as the cluster) in the territories of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Smolensk Region." The second report, dated August 4, recounts a conversation between Putin and Alrosa CEO Pavel Marinychev, in which the president highlighted the company's vast reserves and production figures.

Key Claims

  • The decree establishing the cluster designates the Joint-Stock Company Foreign Economic Association Almazyuvelirexport as the operator authorized to prepare findings on the compliance (or non-compliance) of legal entities and individual entrepreneurs with the criteria for inclusion in the register, and to organize interaction between cluster participants and natural diamond mining entities.
  • The decree is set to take effect on March 1, 2027.
  • During a meeting with Putin, Alrosa CEO Pavel Marinychev confirmed that the company holds reserves of 1 billion carats, which Putin noted represents approximately 50% of the world's diamond reserves.
  • Putin also stated that Alrosa's output figures account for about 30% of global production. Marinychev confirmed this figure, specifying "thirty percent in carats."
  • Earlier, Marinychev had told the president that the Smolensk-based Kristall plant would serve as the foundation for the new diamond cutting cluster.

Perspectives

No distinct viewpoints beyond those of the named officials were present in the reviewed material. Therefore, no separate perspectives section is included.