Irkutsk Mayor Presents 2025 Performance Report, Highlights Major Infrastructure Projects

Irkutsk transforms with Siberia's largest heating loop and new schools in 2025

Irkutsk Mayor Ruslan Bolotov has presented a report on the city administration's work over the past year. Despite the challenging economic conditions facing the Irkutsk region (Priangarye), the regional capital continued to implement large-scale projects—completing a district heating loop, constructing social facilities, upgrading public transport, and repairing utility and road infrastructure. These efforts will continue in the current year.

Infrastructure Development

According to Bolotov, even amid reduced external funding, Irkutsk has pressed ahead with essential infrastructure projects, expanding its internal resources and finding new opportunities for growth.

Following the large-scale reconstruction of the right-bank wastewater treatment plant in 2024, the city has now established a unified sewage transport system connecting outlying districts to the treatment facilities.

"Several multi-stage programs have allowed us to achieve tangible results in this area," Bolotov emphasized. "We have built a single network that has relieved congestion in the city center while providing centralized sewage services to multiple major districts."

Nearly 20 kilometers of pipelines were laid in under two years. The mayor noted that microtunneling—used for the first time in Irkutsk—significantly reduced construction time and minimized disruptions for residents.

"Beyond easing pressure on the city center, we have created the conditions to connect new users, including those along theBaikal Highway, in line with a directive from Irkutsk Region GovernorIgor Kobzev," Bolotov said. "The system is now ready to handle wastewater from this area."

Last year also saw the completion of the district heating loop—the largest infrastructure project in the Irkutsk region and the entire Siberian Federal District in the past 50 years. The mayor explained that the new ring-shaped heating network enhances reliability across the city and enables the development of an entirely new district, designed from the outset to avoid utility issues.

The benefits are already visible in the Rabochy suburb, where old boiler houses were decommissioned after the heating loop went online. This has not only reduced environmental harm but also set the stage for 15–20 years of growth.

New Social Facilities

In 2025, Irkutsk completed construction of its largest school, located on Yaroslavsky Street, with capacity for 1,550 students.

"This is a unique case where an entire microdistrict begins with a school," Bolotov said. "We built it from the ground up on vacant land, installing all necessary utilities. Nearby plots have been allocated for apolyclinic complex, asambo and boxing center, and akindergarten. Roads have been repaired, and we are now improving the surrounding area."

According to the city's mayor, the new school will take a comprehensive approach to education. After classes, students will have the opportunity to engage in a variety of extracurricular activities, including dance, music, sports, art, and more. The school also features specialized classes established with the support of major companies.

"Our shared mission is to create every opportunity for children to fully realize their potential and take pride in having received their education right here in our city," the mayor emphasized.

Additionally, on September 1, 2025, Irkutsk opened a new building—School No. 75—for primary grades, constructed on the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The school has been named Energiya Znani (Energy of Knowledge).

Last year also saw continued upgrades to preschool facilities. In Nizhnyaya Lisikha, Irkutsk's first three-story kindergarten, Rosinochek, opened its doors. Ruslan Bolotov, the city official, highlighted that the facility is equipped with a music hall, a gym, a design workshop, a science lab for experiments, an art studio, and a chess club.