Russky Island is located in the Peter the Great Gulf, the Sea of Japan, and is part of Vladivostok's Frunzensky district. The island is sometimes called the Far East's Kronstadt. The Eastern Bosphorus Strait separates it from the Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula where Vladivostok, the capital of Russia's Primorye Territory, lies.

The island has a total area of 97.6 square kilometers and measures about 18 kilometers long and 13 kilometers wide. It has a population of 5,200. Several bays cut into Russky Island. Novik Bay, the largest one, divides the island in two unequal parts, the South-Western part and the North-Eastern part which is called the Sapyorny Peninsula. It is here that Far Eastern Federal University is being built.

For a long time, Russky Island was a closed area - home to numerous military units including the renowned Vladivostok Fortress. There have never been any industrial, construction or any other facilities on the island, which makes it a popular holiday destination for people from Vladivostok.

In 2007 Russky Island was chosen as the site for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders' week (APEC). Large-scale construction was launched on the island.

The construction works on the Far Eastern Federal University site, where the APEC Leaders' week will be held, are nearing completion, in accordance with the subprogram on the development of the city of Vladivostok as a center for international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

The subprogram aims to ensure the sustainable socio-economic development of Vladivostok as a center for international cooperation.

The subprogram envisages the construction of new facilities, and the reconstruction of existing facilities, so that major international events can be held, the first of which will be the 2012 APEC Leaders' week, involving transportation and utilities infrastructure development.

Over 60,000 people will be involved in implementing the subprogram.

The subprogram includes 40 events that stipulate the construction of 96 comprehensive projects, including subprojects.

The following projects are being implemented within the subprogram:

- construction of the Far Eastern Federal University, in particular its natural sciences and financial economic buildings, hotels with 5,500 rooms and a healthcare center;

- reconstruction work to Vladivostok airport, the construction of a new international terminal and an approach highway;

- construction of a helipad on Russky Island;

- road building and reconstruction in the Primorye Territory;

- construction of bridges to Russky Island across the Eastern Bosphorus Strait and the Zolotoy Rog Bay, and the De-Freeze-Sedanka low-level bridge;

- development of local telecommunications and communications systems;

- development of the utilities infrastructure in Vladivostok;

- construction and modernization of energy and heating supply infrastructure.

There is a ferry service between the city and the island. A cable-stayed bridge connecting Russky Island with mainland Vladivostok is a major infrastructure project. The bridge to the island will be one of the world's largest cable-stayed bridges and  is due to be completed in 2012.

With a span measuring 1,104 m from end to end, it will break bridge-construction records. The bridge will stand 70 m above the water and will have four traffic lanes (two in each direction), each 3.75 meters wide.

Design and construction of the bridge on Russky Island have been carried out under the subprogram on the development of the city of Vladivostok as a center for international cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.