Kaliningrad is shaping a new urban centre around a branch of the National Centre RUSSIA

A branch of the National Centre RUSSIA in the Kaliningrad region will become a major attraction for residents and visitors, while the surrounding area will gain new conceptual infrastructure. Details of the development were shared by the Governor of the Kaliningrad region, Alexei Besprozvannykh.

"At the site of a vacant lot in the historic centre of Kaliningrad, we are creating a new centre for both the city and the entire region. At present, this is an empty spot where the demolished House of Soviets once stood. In addition to the building of the National Centre RUSSIA branch itself, the area will gain new conceptual infrastructure. A public space will be created on the site of the House of Soviets, featuring an open-air amphitheatre for festivals, educational events, and cultural programmes. It will also become a new attraction for residents and visitors, featuring a landscaped park called 'Russia', where expositions of the country's natural zones will be presented," said the governor.

He noted that this is the key project for the region's next stage of development. According to Alexei Besprozvannykh, design and cost-estimate documentation will be prepared this year.

He added that the project involves the construction of large exposition and public spaces, a forum venue, an amphitheatre, and modern infrastructure. The centre branch is expected to accommodate up to 3.5 million visitors annually.

The National Centre RUSSIA was established by order of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, to showcase the country's achievements and foster national pride.

Currently, branches are open in the Primorye and Krasnoyarsk regions, as well as in the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area — Yugra. In 2026, new spaces are planned to open in the Ryazan region and the hero city of Sevastopol. Earlier, eight regions presented their project proposals at the National Centre RUSSIA in Moscow, including the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the Nizhny Novgorod region, the Yaroslavl region, the Kaliningrad region, the Kirov region, the Khabarovsk region, the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, and the Republic of Karelia. All branch concepts have been approved at various stages and timelines of implementation.