The Kremlin's new plan: Russia is preparing an offensive on the rare earth metals market

Russian leader Vladimir Putin has recommended that the government prepare a plan for the extraction of rare earth metals, the Kremlin said. These elements play a key role in the modern economy and arms industry.

According with the published guidelines, the government of the Russian Federation has until December 1 to approve the “road map” regarding the long-term development of rare earth elements mining.

The document is intended to define the directions of development of this sector, which is crucial for modern technologies, energy and the defense industry.

This order appears in the instructions approved by Putin after the Eastern Economic Forum held on September 5, 2025.

Other recommendations included actions to develop multimodal transport and logistics centers in the Russian Far East, in the vicinity of China and North Korea.

Rare earth elements are a key element of the modern economy. They are used, among others, in the production of smartphones, electric cars, wind turbines and military equipment. Currently, the global market for these raw materials is dominated by China, which is responsible for approximately 70 percent. their extraction and 90 percent processing.

In recent months, Beijing has introduced a number of export restrictions on certain elements, which has prompted Western countries to intensify work on creating alternative supply chains and diversifying sources of raw materials. (PAP)

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