East Siberian Oil and Gas Company (Vostsibneftegaz, Rosneft subsidiary) has announced the results of its grant competition supporting projects of practical importance for the Evenkia District of Krasnoyarsk Territory.  Under the programme, grants have been allocated for creating a unique online library of the Ket language, studying the fish fauna of the Podkamennaya Tunguska River, and assessing predator populations in the region's forests.

Evenkia is home to indigenous peoples of the North - the Evenks, Kets, Yakuts, Dolgans and Evens. Currently, the languages of the indigenous population are under threat of extinction. The Ket language is the sole surviving representative of the Yeniseian language family. According to recent data, approximately six per cent of ethnic Kets speak their native language.

Under the company's grant, experts will conduct surveys of native speakers and digitise preserved information about the Ket language to collect linguistic and folklore material. Based on the materials obtained, the first Ket online library and a unique Ket-Russian translator will be created. Work with schoolchildren will become an important tool for preserving this ancient language. The new information resources will target student teachers and primary school teachers who will be able to pass on knowledge about the Ket language and culture to children.

The second project receiving grant support from Vostsibneftegaz relates to assessing the state of fish fauna in the Podkamennaya Tunguska River.  The study of fish populations is of great importance for the indigenous peoples of the North. Scientists from the Central Siberian State Natural Biosphere Reserve will conduct analysis of fish biological characteristics, cytogenetic research and survey the local population. The research results will make it possible to assess the presence and impact of stress factors in the habitat of commercial fish species.

More than 20 mammal species inhabit Evenkia's forests,  including six large predators. The third grant has been allocated for studying forest conditions, which influence the species composition of mammals, their numbers and choice of habitats. As part of the project, staff from the Tunguska State Nature Reserve will assess the impact of forest conditions on the populations of bears, wolves, sable, and lynx - a new species for the region.

Preserving the national culture of indigenous peoples of the North and their traditional way of life is one of the key areas of Rosneft's social policy. The Company's enterprises implement various projects supporting social, educational and cultural initiatives, as well as applied research.

Vostsibneftegaz's grant programme makes a significant contribution to preserving the unique national culture, distinctiveness and traditional way of life of Evenkia's indigenous population. The programme has been operating since 2014, over this time oil companies have supported 32 scientific projects, including projects to preserve the Evenki language, reconstruct the Ethno-pedagogical Centre in the village of Tura, and revive the endangered Evenki indigenous Laika breed.

Thanks to Vostsibneftegaz's grant support, Evenkia's Red Book was published in 2020, featuring 45 rare and endangered animals. In 2024, scientists from Siberian Federal University updated the list of rare animal species in the region. Over the years of the grant programme's existence, support has also been provided to numerous cultural and ethnographic projects. Linguists have created a textbook for schoolchildren studying the culture and language of the unique Ket people, published an electronic version of the Evenk-Russian dictionary "Evedy-luchady tureruk", and a monograph titled "New Projects for Reviving the Evenki Language and Culture".

Department of Information and Advertising
Rosneft
March 7, 2025

Keywords: Environmental news 2025