The trip of Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to the Northern Fleet has begun. Military expert Vasily Dandykin told Sputnik radio about the tasks facing this fleet at the moment.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu arrived at the Northern Fleet. He will inspect the base point, as well as the infrastructure of the mooring front of the Borey and Borey-A nuclear submarines [...], the Russian military department told reporters.
It is noted that Shoigu will also hear from the Fleet command on the development of social infrastructure, hold a meeting with the command of the Navy, representatives of the central military authorities of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the military-industrial complex.
Captain of the 1st rank of the reserve, military expert Vasily Dandykin on the air of Sputnik radio explained that the Northern Fleet currently faces very big tasks.
"Since January 1 of this year, the Northern Fleet has the rights of an independent military-administrative unit. This is, in fact, the fifth military district, and this speaks volumes. That the Northern Fleet is the master of the Arctic: from the Kola Peninsula to the Bering Strait. At the same time, no one removes tasks from the fleet in other seas and oceans, but its main task is to protect Russia's interests in the Arctic, including taking into account the fact that the United States and NATO are showing increased interest in this region. So the tasks facing the Northern Fleet are huge, " said Vasily Dandykin.
The general interest in the Arctic, the expert continued, is associated with the huge economic importance of this region.
"The Arctic is a kind of" inviolable reserve " of Russia, including hydrocarbons, and almost the entire periodic table. This is the Northern Sea Route ‒ the most important strategic route, the cargo turnover of which is growing rapidly, " added Vasily Dandykin.
The military expert recalled that in recent years, the Northern Fleet has greatly strengthened.
"It has an air force, various types of aircraft, including long-range interceptors, fighter-bombers and much more. This includes, of course, the main strike force-naval submarine nuclear forces, primarily submarines of the 4th generation, including the lead " Prince Vladimir "(project "Borey-A"), as well as other submarines. The fleet includes coastal missile troops, an army corps that includes marines, and its own Arctic brigade ‒ these are people who are "sharpened" for combat operations in the Arctic. They received modern weapons, including the Arctic version of the Pantsir anti-aircraft missile system, vehicles (snowmobiles) and much more. The Northern Fleet has already received its icebreaker "Ilya Muromets", the first patrol vessel of the Arctic class "Ivan Papanin", two large landing ships of the new generation, frigates of the"Admiral Gorshkov" type. The Northern Fleet, in fact ‒ is the flagship of our Navy, " the military expert is sure.
