From Coal Mining in Chukotka to an Australian Police Investigation

How Arctida’s Data and Reporting Drew Attention to Tigers Realm Coal’s Activities

Australian company Tigers Realm Coal Limited (TIG) has been mining coal in Chukotka since 2016, operating near the settlements of Beringovsky and Alkatvaam through its Russian subsidiaries. The ownership structure of one of these subsidiaries includes a stake held by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), which is subject to sanctions.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Tigers Realm Coal sought to continue its coal mining and transportation operations in Chukotka. Ultimately, the company lost its listing on the Australian Securities Exchange and became the subject of an investigation into suspected sanctions violations.

Throughout this period, Arctida collected and shared information with Australian partners about TIG’s Russian subsidiaries, their payments to the Russian state budget, and conflicts surrounding coal mining operations. We later investigated the company’s connections to Russian officials and the prospective buyer of its assets. This article traces how our findings were used and how events unfolded for TIG.

How TIG Tried to Circumvent Sanctions (2022–2024)

In November 2022, TIG asked Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to assess whether Australian sanctions applied to its operations in Russia prohibiting the import, purchase, and transport of Russian coal. In March 2023, DFAT responded that such activities were likely prohibited or would require special authorization. In April, the company was warned that its operations could breach the sanctions regime.

In June 2023, Tigers Realm Coal brought a case before the Federal Court of Australia. The company sought a declaration that transporting Russian coal from the mine to the port and loading it onto ships did not fall within the scope of the sanctions. That same day, Arctida reported on the case for the first time through our Telegram channel.

In the summer of 2023, colleagues from Transparency International Australia approached us while preparing a submission to DFAT concerning TIG. Australian NGOs lacked access to data from Russian sources, so Arctida compiled information on court cases involving TIG and Indigenous communities in Chukotka, as well as data on taxes TIG’s Russian subsidiaries had paid into the Russian state budget since 2021.

Our findings informed an open letter to Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, signed by four organizations: the Australian Centre for International Justice (ACIJ), Transparency International Australia, Transparency International Ukraine, and Razom We Stand.

The signatories urged the Australian government not to grant TIG a special permit to continue operating in Russia. They argued that issuing such a permit would run counter to Australia’s national interests and violate its sanctions regime against Russia.

The letter also highlighted how the company’s operations contributed to further environmental degradation in Chukotka and adversely affected the lives of Indigenous people. Evidence gathered by Arctida helped substantiate these concerns.

On March 4, 2024, the Federal Court of Australia dismissed TIG’s case, ruling that the company’s operations — including coal mining by its Russian subsidiaries and the transportation of that coal to Asian markets — were prohibited under Australia’s sanctions regime.

The Sale of Russian Assets and “Black Deal” (2024)

In April 2024, TIG announced plans to sell its Russian assets to APM-Invest, a company owned by Mark Buzuk, for $49 million. Arctida covered the announcement on social media.

In the summer of 2024, we organized a reporting trip to Beringovsky, Chukotka, together with journalists. The trip resulted in “On the Black Shores,” a report published on August 20, 2024, documenting the impact of coal mining on the local environment and residents.

One Beringovsky resident described living with coal dust:

“Coal dust doesn’t wash away like ordinary dirt. It gets ingrained in everything. That’s why nothing blooms on our tundra anymore. It’s all gray and black. And people breathe it in. The dust may be fine, but it doesn’t just disappear. One winter, I went out to buy bread and felt like I was suffocating. I was so short of breath, and even my airways hurt. I looked down at the snow, and it was black.”

A week later, we published our investigation “Black Deal.” In it, we:

• mapped TIG’s ownership structure in Russia and identified the prospective buyer of its assets;
• traced links between that ownership structure and people close to former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych. An Australian journalist first uncovered the documents, and Arctida verified their links to TIG’s Russian subsidiaries;
• documented a conflict of interest involving Svetlana Radchenko, who had headed the Legal Department of Russia’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment before becoming Deputy Minister.

Coal storage facility in Chukotka

Source:Nikita_mazaew / Depositphotos

Svetlana Radchenko’s Departure (2024)

As part of our investigation, Arctida found that the North Pacific Coal Company (STUK) had prepared documents for Tigers Realm Coal and helped the company communicate with Russian officials.

In 2010, TIG acquired an 80% stake in STUK. This partnership helped the company establish relationships with officials responsible for overseeing the mining licensing process. Leonid Skoptsov, one of STUK’s founders, served as TIG’s government relations manager from 2011 to 2017.

Until 2021, geologist Yuri Radchenko held a one-third stake in STUK. His daughter, Svetlana Radchenko, served as Russia’s Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment for 10 years. Between 2006 and 2014, she headed the ministry’s Legal Department, whose responsibilities included matters relating to subsoil licensing.

On September 23, 2024, just weeks after Arctida’s investigation was published and widely circulated, Svetlana Radchenko left the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The Aftermath: Criminal Investigation and Stock Exchange Delisting (2025–2026)

In May 2025, Arctida learned thatRussian officials were holding up the sale of TIG’s Russian assets. A Russian government commission had rejected the transaction in its original form and divided it into two stages.

The commission approved the first stage, covering the acquisition of the mining and management companies, at a substantially reduced price. Under these terms, TIG would have to pay an exit tax of approximately $44 million.

The second stage, involving the acquisition of STUK, requires personal approval from the Russian president because it involves the purchase of more than 35 million metric tons of coal.

How long it might take Vladimir Putin to grant that approval remains unclear. Without it, TIG cannot complete the sale of its Russian assets.

In May 2026, we identified new evidence from the company’s own disclosures showing that Tigers Realm Coal’s headquarters had lost communication with the management of its Russian subsidiaries and had been unable to obtain financial information for more than a year, ultimately resulting in the company’s delisting from the Australian Securities Exchange for failing to meet its reporting obligations.

In March 2026, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) launched a criminal investigation into possible sanctions violations by TIG. The Sydney Morning Herald covered the case and included comments from Arctida.

What Happens Next? (2026)

Despite TIG’s delisting from the Australian Securities Exchange and the ongoing criminal investigation, its Russian subsidiaries remain formally owned by the Australian company. They continue to mine coal and pay taxes in Russia.

The sale of TIG’s Russian assets remains at an impasse. The presidential approval required to complete the sale of all TIG’s Russian subsidiaries under the rules governing foreign asset sales has still not been obtained. Arctida will continue to monitor the investigation into TIG’s suspected sanctions violations and the activities of its Russian subsidiaries.

We will also continue collecting data, conducting investigations, and advocating for meaningful accountability among companies operating in the region, as well as for an end to projects that do not serve the interests of local and Indigenous communities.

Cover photo: Coal being loaded onto a bulk carrier at Beringovsky Port.

KadnikovValerii / Depositphotos