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During the Soviet era, the polar zone of the Ob plain became a vast industrial and urban frontier. However, this co-development between extractive industry and urbanisation is no longer appropriate in today’s Russian market economy. This article contributes to inform how these two functions, industry and habitat, evolved in space during the post-Soviet period. The method used is based on DMSP-OLS night-time imagery with a multi-level approach. The findings show a decoupling of the two functions, the growth of existing urban centres and a higher exposure of populations to industrial risks in the historical areas of the frontier.