This is the first editorial in this week's issue of the Sakhalin Times.

With Russian President Vladimir Putin insisting that the country’s constitution will not be changed to ensure that he stays president for another term, two potential candidates have emerged as his successor: Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov and Vice-Premier Dmitri Medvedev. The vice-premier’s visit to the Russian Far East and Sakhalin, in particular, is being viewed by many as some sort of preparatory exercise for the top position in Russia.

Russia, at the moment, faces several problems from corruption to demographics to terrorism. Despite such a wide range of threats, there is a still general sense of calm, which is largely because of the sheer size of the country. The bulk itself is a giant shock-absorber but not a complete solution to the problems that Russia faces. For Russia to attain the superpower status that the USSR once enjoyed, the most important issue is the strengthening of the Asian part of the country.

Greater federal involvement and participation in the functioning of the Russian Far East is an important key to the success of the region. Thanks to the large oil and gas deposits in Sakhalin, the entire Russian Far East has gained significant strategic and economic significance. Despite the promising prospects in the Far East, surveys indicate that a large percentage of people living here would like to move closer to central Russia. This coincides with the so-called Chinese immigration threat. The vice-premier was primarily looking at ways to stimulate the traditional economy of the far eastern regions to arrest the alarming trend of depopulation in the area.

Despite all the talk of the aqua-culture as a national priority project, the vice-premier would be well advised to know that the fishing industry across the Far East is in the hands of the poaching mafia. In principle, there should be a far greater amount of spread-out wealth because of the fishing industry but an unhealthy nexus between some politicians and organised criminals has ensured that those without connections gain little.

The Kremlin’s first priority in the Russian Far East must be to ensure good governance. The relative ease of administering the region and its small population can work to Moscow’s advantage. Administrative might is enough to crush the criminal groups that run cancerous business practises in the region. When there are fair opportunities for a good life in the Far Eastern regions, not only will the depopulation trend stop but many people may actually decide to settle in these regions.

A strong economy in the Russian Far East can be a catalyst to Russia becoming an economic superpower.