Washington hopes to gain a foothold in the Arctic to prevent Moscow from taking control of the region's shipping routes.
According to US Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite, the US Navy can begin operations on" freedom of navigation " near the Arctic coast of Russia, similar to those that it already carries out in the South China Sea, The Washington Times quotes the RT portal.
The US Navy expects to take a tougher stance in the Arctic to " fight back against Moscow." This week, senior Pentagon officials said the U.S. Navy could launch "freedom of navigation" operations near Russia's Arctic coast, The Washington Times reported.
According to the publication, such operations would resemble naval exercises in the South China Sea, where American ships regularly "challenge the growing territorial claims" of Beijing. Washington believes that similar movements may be required in the Arctic, as Russia is trying to " seize strategically important sea routes, making them its own."
The melting of ice in the Arctic has opened up valuable new commercial routes, as well as provided great economic and geopolitical opportunities for Russia. After all, it boasts an impressive fleet of icebreakers and other means that can work in cold waters, draws the attention of The Washington Times.
According to the publication, there are already signs that Moscow will use its strategic advantage to claim the Arctic territory or "restrict other countries' access to sea routes." At the same time, the Russian army is increasing its presence in the region, including with the help of bases near the northern coast. However, the Pentagon says that the United States has methods to ensure international access to the region. Among them are "Pacific-style navigation missions that will extend to the Russian threshold in the Arctic."
"This is about the same situation as in the South China Sea, where we observe freedom of navigation and the ability to operate in international waters. The United States claims its right to this activity," U.S. Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite said in a recent interview.
"We will need to get into the Barents Sea, and then go around it and climb to the Kola Peninsula, so that we can be more actively present in this part of the world. And again, when the opening sea lanes in the northern Passage become navigable, the US Navy intends to guarantee the existence of freedom of navigation for our partners, " he added.
Braithwaite's comments coincided with the release of a major new U.S. Navy report on the Arctic strategy of the 21st century. It concludes that the navy must " evaluate and upgrade existing and future forces to provide a manned and unmanned operational presence and patrol options in cold weather and in Arctic waters where ice cover is shrinking."
Last year, for the first time since the Cold War, the US and British Navies passed through the icy Barents Sea. These maneuvers give an idea of what the future holds for the Arctic region, according to The Washington Times.