Here Putin’s forces are superior to NATO

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The shipping route along the Russian north coast is becoming increasingly important due to increasing global warming. Meanwhile, in summer it is sometimes even passable without an icebreaker. The country produces numerous raw materials in the north, such as natural gas. These can be transported by sea.

Russia maintains numerous military bases in the Arctic. In addition to the military operation in Ukraine, the Russian army has now also started a large-scale military maneuver in the far north. This is reported by the press service of the Northern Sea Fleet, according to the Russian news agency Interfax. “Particular attention will be paid to the safety of Russian merchant shipping and sea routes, such as the Northeast Passage, during the maneuver,” the statement said.

Shortest route to North America

The exercise lasts several days. The interaction between the ships and the Russian Air Force is being investigated under the direction of the relevant command staff. In addition, 40 aircraft and helicopters are deployed, as well as vehicles for land operations.

The importance of the region to Russia includes the fact that the shortest route from Russia to North America is through the Arctic North Pole. A large part of the Russian nuclear weapons and submarine bases are therefore located in the Arctic.

The expansion is progressing

Colin Wall, a researcher at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, told Reuters last year: “The military balance in the Arctic is currently very much in favor of Russia.” According to calculations by the British think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and Reuters, Russia has about a third more military bases in the Arctic Circle than NATO. According to experts, it will take about ten years to catch up.

As shown in satellite images from the American company Maxar Technologies, in 2022 Russia continued to expand its military bases in the Arctic. According to the company, the images show the continuation of work on the radar stations in Tiksi in the northeast and Vorkuta in the northwest of the country. In addition, they must show that the completion of special radar systems near Finland and Norway, which can detect camouflaged flying objects, is progressing.

Source: Blick