A Look At 'Umka', The Domed Russian City Planned For Sub-Zero Arctic Temperatures

Russia is planning to further it's reach in the Arctic circle, according to a statement from Vladimir Putin's website. The country has already made a bold appeal to the UN to annex some 380,000 square miles of Arctic seabed due to the existence of oil and gas in the area.

One plan for the region will involve special Arctic cities. The first city is proposed for a frozen Siberian island will be known as "Umka", housing 5,000 residents underneath a huge dome. The city will be spared from the harsh weather — -30 degrees Celsius in the winter with strong winds — by the dome, living instead in a sealed environment.

"Researchers could live there permanently rather than for short expeditions only," the developers said. "It is modeled after an imaginary Moon city or a completely isolated space station."