The Primorye Oceanarium on Russky Island in Vladivostok will open this summer or early autumn, Primorye Territory Governor Vladimir Miklushevsky said at a live call-in show held as part of the Far Eastern Media Summit.

Mr Miklushevsky said modifications are currently underway at the facility, which is to become a major marine biology educational and research centre.

“President Vladimir Putin instructed us to create a marine centre at the site for scientific research. The staff will include marine biologists from the Far Eastern Federal University and researchers from the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences,” Mr Miklushevsky said.  

The Primorye Oceanarium will be one of the largest facilities of its kind in the world, with a total area of over 30,000 square metres. The main building will be 150 metres wide and the aquarium will contain more than 24,000 metric tonnes of seawater, along with 15,000-18,000 fish and mammals and other animals representing 500 different species.

Cyprinid fish, a walrus, beluga whales, fur seals and dolphins have been brought to the building, where guided tours are now being held as an experiment.