A support system for natural territories will be created in Russia

VTB has announced its support for the projects of the Nature Defenders Fund to preserve Russia's biodiversity and restore populations of particularly rare animals. In particular, the bank intends to participate in the creation of a system to support specially protected natural areas and eliminate the consequences of environmental disasters. VTB representatives announced this at the XVI International Ecology Forum.

VTB will become a general partner of the foundation and will provide financial and expert support to scientists, reserve staff, volunteers and community leaders. Specific initiatives include assistance in eliminating the consequences of a fuel oil spill on the Black Sea coast, support for anti—poaching programs in Kamchatka, and grants for young specialists in specially protected natural areas.

"The partnership with the foundation will allow us to combine the bank's resources and the expertise of nature protection specialists in order to improve the professional support system for specially protected areas," said Natalia Kochneva, Senior Vice President of VTB.

According to Peter Shpilenka, director of the Foundation for Defenders of Nature, the participation of large businesses in the conservation of biodiversity is especially valuable and will help build "a more developed and innovative system for preventing environmental problems."

VTB has been cooperating with Russia's largest nature reserves for more than 10 years to support biodiversity. The bank's partners are the Amur Tiger Autonomous Non-Profit Organization, the Kronotsky Nature Reserve and the Land of the Leopard Federal State Budgetary Institution. In 2025, the bank allocated 25 million rubles to eliminate the consequences of the fuel oil spill in the Kerch Strait.