Russky Island

Russky Island ( _ru. о́стров Ру́сский, lit. "Russian island") is a Russian island off Vladivostok, in the Peter the Great Gulf, Sea of Japan. It is located about 5,800 miles east of Moscow. The Eastern Bosphorus separates the island from the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula.

By 1889, Russky Island formed part of the defences of the fortress city of Vladivostok. Over several years, the initial temporary wooden structures were replaced by stone and the island contained the Fort of Pospelov, as a part of the plans of Colonel K. I. Velichko.

In 1992, four soldiers serving in the island's isolated garrison starved to death and dozens of others were taken to hospital suffering from starvation. Their commanders had failed for months to send them anything to eat and the matter became a national scandal [http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2002330,00.html] .

The British daily newspaper, "The Guardian" reported on January 31, 2007 that President Vladimir Putin was developing plans to develop the island as a large scale tourist resort. The plan was reported as a response to growing Chinese economic power in the region and the fear of possible Chinese economic hegemony.

President Dmitry Medvedev signed on September 3 2008 a degree on building of a suspension bridge from Russky to Vladivostok. About $6 billion is reserved on the development of the island and Vladivostok by 2012 APEC summit which is held on Russky. [http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080903/116518193.html]

Adjacent islands

* Off the southwestern shore of Russky Island lie the following islands: Popova (7 Km long, 4.3 Km wide), Reyneke (3.4 Km across) and Rikorda (4.1 Km long and less than 2Km wide). There are many small islets close to them.

* The Yevgenii Archipelago (Arkhipelag coord|42|47|S|131|30|E|type:isle is a cluster of smaller islands and islets that extends further to the southwest for about 40 Km.

External links

* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR1tZranahA Russia Close-Up: Primorsky's forgotten island] from Russia Today