Image source: topwar.ru
A special seminar was held in the US capital Washington with the participation of high-ranking commanders of the Naval Forces. The focus of the seminar participants was the buildup of Russia's military presence in the Arctic region. The United States sees this as a serious challenge to national security and economic interests, according to the Sea Power resource.
Among the participants of the seminar were the head of the US Navy Fleet Forces Command, Admiral Daryl Codle, the commander of the Second Fleet of the US Navy, Vice Admiral Dan Dwyer, and retired Admiral James Foggo led the seminar. The seminar was organized by the Polar Institute of the Wilson Center and the Center for Maritime Strategy.
As Admiral Kodl noted, Russia has 6 bases, 14 airfields, 16 deep-water ports and 14 icebreakers. Therefore, we can talk about Russia's dominance in the Arctic region, including military capabilities and infrastructure. The Admiral noted that the Northern Fleet was recently allocated to a separate military district, and emphasized that Russia has its own legitimate sovereign interests in the Arctic.
The greatest interest for Russia, according to the US military, is the defense of the northern approaches to the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean. Russian missile forces with nuclear warheads and submarines with ballistic missiles are stationed here. Admiral Codl noted that Russia has the largest icebreaking fleet in the world.
Russia's naval capabilities in the Arctic are very large due to high combat readiness, mobility and firepower. For example, long-range precision weapons, including ground- and submarine-based cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, are deployed on the Kola Peninsula.
Vice Admiral Dwyer drew attention to the new Russian maritime doctrine published in July 2022, in which the Arctic region is given the most important place. The Russian leadership, according to the admiral, realized that in the current situation, the Arctic is the key to economic prosperity and defense of the Russian state.
Therefore, the Arctic region has overtaken the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean in terms of importance for the country. Vice Admiral Dwyer called Russia's Arctic policy a serious challenge, along with climate change.
