The Greater Caucasus is one of the most extensively glacierized mountain systems in mid-latitude Eurasia and has experienced substantial glacier retreat in recent decades. Continuous monitoring using high-resolution satellite observations is therefore essential for accurately quantifying ongoing and future changes. In this study, we present a new glacier inventory for 2025 derived from high-resolution (3 m) PlanetScope satellite imagery combined with topographic information from the 30 m Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Global Digital Surface Model (2006–2011). A total of 101 cloud-free PlanetScope scenes, acquired primarily during August–September 2025, were manually delineated to ensure precise glacier boundary detection. Regional climatic data, including summer temperature and winter precipitation from the ERA5 reanalysis, were compiled to support interpretation of glacier changes since the 1960s. The new inventory identifies 2341 glaciers covering 964.0 ± 22.8 km² across the Greater Caucasus. Glacier distribution is highly uneven: most of the glacier-covered area is found in the Central Caucasus (730.2 ± 15.5 km²), whereas considerably smaller glacierized areas occur in the Western and Eastern sectors. Most glaciers are located on northern slopes (687.7 ± 16.0 km²), reflecting strong topographic and climatic asymmetry. Mean glacier elevations range from ~3300 to 3600 m a.s.l., increasing eastward in response to decreasing precipitation. Size-class analysis shows that small glaciers (5.0 km²) contribute disproportionately to total glacier area. Comparison with previous inventories indicates continued and accelerated glacier retreat, particularly since 2014, with a mean area loss rate of −1.8% yr⁻¹. These comparisons further show that a total of 965 glaciers (~122.9 km²) have become extinct across the Greater Caucasus since the 1960s. This trend is primarily driven by increasing summer temperatures and declining winter precipitation. This high-resolution inventory provides the most detailed glacier dataset currently available for the Greater Caucasus and establishes an updated benchmark for future glacier monitoring, climate change studies, and hydrological assessments.

We present new Glacier Inventory of the Russian glaciers based on Sentinel images (2017/2018).The modern reduction in the size of glaciers is accompanied by the activation of natural processes leading to catastrophic consequences, changes in landscapes and prevailing nature management practices. To reduce risks and adapt to the consequences of ongoing changes, relevant data on the state of glacial systems are needed. In Russia, extensive glaciation is present in the Arctic zone, and in its continental part there are 18 mountain-glacial systems. According to the Glacier Inventory of the USSR in the mid-twentieth century in Russia there were 7167 glaciers with a total area of ​​60103, 99 km2. Of these, 685 glaciers with an area of ​​56,127.2 km2 accounted for the Arctic archipelagos. Despite the ever-increasing amount of information from space, and experimental studies in a number of glacial regions, a complete and reliable picture of the state of glaciation in Russia at the beginning of the 21st century has not been available to date.The project aims to develop and create a unified information basis for the study of glacial regions of Russia using geoinformation technologies. The initial data were collected and systematized to assess the current state of Russia's glaciers: data from previous inventories, maps, historical and modern aerial and space images, digital elevation models. A classification of possible catastrophic phenomena of glacial genesis was developed: dynamically unstable glaciers, glacier lakes, icebergs, etc. The structure of the database for the study of Russian glaciers is developed, compatible with world and national data archives. Implementation of the project allowed to gain new knowledge about the state of Russian glaciers.The presentation includes the results obtained in the framework of the following research projects: № 0148-2019-0004 of the Research Plan of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, № 05/2019/RGS-RFBR supported by the Russian Geographical Society, № 18-05-60067  supported by RFBR.

The new glacier inventory created recently at the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences made it possible to study the current state and recent changes of glacial systems in Russia, where now there are 22 glacial systems. The total area of ​​glaciation on this territory is 54,531 km2 based on Sentinel 2 images obtained mainly in 2016-2019. This area is occupied by 7478 glaciers. The largest glacial system in area is located on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago (22,241.37 km2). It is followed by Severnaya Zemlya (16491.81 km2) and Franz Josef Land (12530.03 km2). The next largest glacial systems are locate on the Caucasus Mountains (1067.13 km2), Kamchatka (682.8 km2) and Altai (523.14 km2). The area of ​​glaciers on the Arctic island of Ushakov (283, 09 km2), in the Suntar Khayata mountains (132, 97 km2) and the Koryak Upland (254.1 km2) occupies a range from 100 to 300 km2.The largest group is small glacial systems, the area of ​​which does not exceed 100 km2. They are located in different glaciological zones: the De Long Islands (65, 2 km2),  the Urals (10.45 km2), the Putorana Plateau (11.36 km2), the Byranga Mountains (29.94 km2), the Chersky Ridge (86.37 km2), the Chukotka Upland (15.98 km2). Northeast of the Koryak highlands (42.19 km2), Kodar Ridge (16.22 km2), Eastern Sayan (12.88 km2).The remaining four regions are characterized by the smallest glacial systems. These are the Orulgan ridge (9.82km2) and the Kolyma Upland (6.62 km2), the Kuznetsk Alatau (3.42km2), the Barguzinsky (0.09) and Baikalsky ( 0.65km2) ridges. Despite their small size, these glacial systems are important from indicative point of view, fixing the zone of spatial distribution of glaciation. They indicate the growth points in the event of a change in climatic conditions according to a scenario favorable for glaciers.The glacier area has decreased since the compilation of the USSR glacier Inventory (1965-1982) by 5603.9 km2 or 9.3%. The area of ​​polar glaciers has decreased less than glaciers in mountainous regions. Values ​​range from 5.44% (Novaya Zemlya) to 19.11% (De Longa Islands). Small glaciers were not found in the Khibiny. Glaciers in the Urals have reduced their area by 63%. The subpolar glacier systems of the Orulgan (46.6%), Chersky (44.4%), and Suntar-Khayata (34%) ridges reduced the area a little less. Reduction in the area of ​​glacial systems in the temperate belt ranges from 57% (Eastern Sayan) to 13% (Kodar). The largest glacial systems in the Caucasus, Kamchatka and Altai have reduced their areas by 25, 22 and 39 percent, respectively.The results of our studies confirm the tendencies for the reduction of the glacier area throughout Russia. The exception is the glaciers of the volcanic regions of Kamchatka, which increased their size or remained stationary. The magnitude and rate of changes depend on the local climatic and orographic features.The presentation includes the results obtained in the framework of the following research projects: № 0148-2019-0004 of the Research Plan of the Institute of Geography of RAS, № 18-05-60067 supported by RFBR.