EurAsian Times: Moscow and Washington are increasing their presence in the Arctic The Arctic may become the next region of active confrontation between Russia and the United States, experts believe.
Washington seeks to "regain dominance" in the Arctic, while Russia plans to create infrastructure in this region to ensure the security of its own borders and interests. Whether the rivalry in the Arctic will become acute, and whether to wait for NATO ships at the Russian borders, - in the material of "Gazeta.Ru».
The United States and Russia are strengthening their military presence in the area of the North Pole, writes the Indian edition of the EurAsian Times. Experts believe that the Arctic may become a "battlefield" between the two states in the future.
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation does not deny the fact that this submarine is in Arctic waters (it was even filmed from space in a surface position), but unmanned torpedoes do not have nuclear stuffing. The Belgorod nuclear submarine built on the Sevmash has a place of registry in Vilyuchinsk in Kamchatka, where it follows the most direct route through the Arctic Ocean. Working out combat training tasks along the way, the essence of which, of course, is not disclosed. The Pentagon's concerns are just assumptions that the General Staff of the Russian Navy does not comment on.
Recently, the post of Ambassador-at-large in the Arctic region was created in the United States, which once again indicates that the United States has once again shifted the focus of its attention in this region.
In this regard, Washington decided to change the priorities of its policy in this region and called on the allies to create a defense strategy for actions in the Arctic.
Back in January last year, the Pentagon adopted an updated version of its Arctic strategy Regaining Arctic Dominance ("The return of dominance in the Arctic"), which identified "the main threats and challenges of the present time" - primarily from Russia and China.
In its defense strategy in the Arctic, Washington has high hopes for Finland and Sweden, which, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, should join the alliance by the end of this year. Both countries are members of the Arctic Council, but their area of influence in the region and military potential are limited. The Swedish Navy has 5 diesel-electric submarines (the newest is 30 years old) and about 10 corvettes. Helsinki has an even smaller fleet. In addition, Finland has no access to the northern seas beyond the Arctic Circle.
However, experts believe that the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO is unlikely to have a significant impact on the regulation of relations in the Arctic, however, as new allies in the North Atlantic Alliance, Helsinki and Stockholm will have political significance, which the United States will actively use.
They already make regular visits to the northern latitudes. And our Northern Fleet successfully controls them, by the way, they also try to track the movement of our submarines. A serious move on the part of NATO may be strategic air assets that will try to gain air supremacy. Now this has not happened, control is completely on the Russian side," he told the newspaper.En" Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov.
Moscow has repeatedly stressed that it adheres to the goals of ensuring security in the Arctic region.
"There is no serious conflict potential in the Arctic, especially with the participation of the Russian Federation," the main document of the Russian representation in the Arctic Council says (formally, Moscow now chairs the Council, but this status has been removed from it since the spring of 2022).
At the official level, Russia constantly declares its readiness to cooperate in the region with all interested parties. At the same time, Moscow stresses that it is ready to protect its interests and respect the territorial integrity of the country, including in the Arctic region.
In addition to the fleet based in the North, aviation airfields and air defense systems, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation have settled in remote regions of the Arctic. Military camps and airfields have been built in six districts - on Alexandra Land (the archipelago of Franz Josef Land), in the village of Rogachevo on Novaya Zemlya, on Sredny Island (Severnaya Zemlya), on Cape Otto Schmidt, on Wrangel Island and Kotelny Island (Novosibirsk Islands).
On the latter, the Northern Clover base was built in permafrost conditions, where 250 people serve (the base can exist in autonomous mode for 18 months), there is a station for monitoring aircraft and an air defense complex. The Arctic Group of Troops includes two motorized infantry Arctic brigades, airborne units, interceptor fighters and transport aircraft.
Washington has a slightly different view of the balance of power in this region. "The United States intends to improve its game in the Arctic," State Department Adviser Derek Scholle said at a briefing on the strengthening of the military presence in the Far North. Washington assigns Russia a minuscule role in the development of these territories.
He also addressed new partners - Finland and Sweden: "The United States appreciates the unique spirit of international cooperation that has characterized the Arctic as a whole since the end of the Cold War." At the same time, Helsinki replied that it was necessary to "try to maintain working relations with neighboring Russia, but it should consider everything through the prism of security."
"The available resources are concentrated on such main areas of development of the Armed Forces as the creation of military infrastructure in the Arctic, the improvement of the airfield network, the introduction of advanced technologies related to the logistics of troops," Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said a few years ago.
Experts, however, are confident that the appearance of NATO warships in the Arctic Ocean is not a prospect for the coming years.
"Despite the melting of the ice, 2-4 months a year the passage of ships and ships here without icebreaking escort is impossible. So it is hardly possible to see an American aircraft carrier near Kotelny Island in the future. But there is another problem here: less ice means less possibility of covert movement of our nuclear submarines, which were practically impossible to detect. On the other hand, it will be easier for our anti-submarine aircraft to detect NATO submarines," he told the newspaper.Ru" military expert, captain of the 1st rank in reserve Vasily Dandykin.
The expert assumes that the tactics of combat duty of submarines will change both in Russia and in the United States, because it is the submarines that will be assigned the role of controlling the northern routes.
"Russia still has an undeniable advantage both in terms of the number of submarines, as well as coastal detection stations and anti-submarine means. The existing grouping in the Arctic needs to be further increased, especially against the background of new US strategies in the Arctic.
The current interest in the Arctic is also caused by the fact that it is extremely rich in almost all types of natural resources. According to researchers, 13% of the world's undiscovered reserves lie here. More than 200 promising oil and gas deposits have been identified in the Barents, Pechora and Kara Seas. Within the Arctic mainland there are unique reserves and forecast resources of copper-nickel ores, tin, platinoids, agrochemical ores, rare metals and rare earth elements, large reserves of gold, diamonds, tungsten, mercury, ferrous metals, optical raw materials and ornamental stones. The value of undiscovered mineral reserves in the Arctic region is estimated at up to $35 trillion.
Victor Sokirko
