Russia To Deploy Troops Into The Arctic

Russia To Deploy Thousands Of Troops To 'Protect The Nation's Interests' In The Arctic -- The Daily Mail

Russia has announced it will send two army brigades, including special forces soldiers, to the Arctic to protect its interests in the disputed, oil-rich zone.

Russia, the U.S., Canada, Denmark and Norway have all made claims over parts of the Arctic circle which is believed to hold up to a quarter of the Earth's undiscovered oil and gas.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Russia 'remains open for dialogue' with its polar neighbours, but will 'strongly and persistently' defend its interests in the region.

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More News On Russia Deploying Thousands Of Troops Into The Arctic

Russia plans Arctic army brigades -- BBC
Russia to Deploy Troops to Defend Interests in Arctic -- Wall Street Journal
Russia creates Arctic troop brigades -- ABC News (Australia)
Russia creates two brigades of Arctic troops -- Reuters
Russia to create Arctic troops - defense minister -- RIA Novosti

My Comment: I guess the Russians are still peeved-off about this deal.

Russian Military To Deploy In The Arctic

Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov. © RIA Novosti. Valery Melnikov

Russia To Create Arctic Troops - Defense Minister -- RIA Novsoti

Russia will deploy troops in the north to defend its interests in the Arctic region, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Friday.

"The General Staff is currently drafting plans to establish two such formations. Those plans should take into account deployment sites, armaments, number of servicemen and infrastructure," the defense minister said.

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Update #1: Russia to create two Arctic brigades: minister -- Xinhuanet
Update #2: Russia to deploy 2 army brigades in Arctic -- Yahoo News/AP

My Comment: This decision will impact Canada significantly .... but being Canada Day today, Canadians are focused elsewhere.

Navy’s Role In The Arctic May Change As Icy Lanes Clear Up

Members of the Applied Physics Laboratory Ice Station clear ice from the hatch of the submarine USS Annapolis in March during a U.S. Navy exercise in the Arctic Ocean. Tiffini Jones/Courtesy of the U.S. Navy

From Stars And Stripes:

Early explorers dreamed of a safe trade route across the frozen Arctic for hundreds of years.

Now as global temperatures warm and ice rapidly melts, the U.S. Navy is weighing the possibility that within decades the Arctic will open into one of the world’s prime shipping lanes.

New climate data point to a summer season completely free of sea ice as early as 2030 — about 70 years sooner than previously predicted — allowing ships to move freely for the first time in history, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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Previous Post: The Russians Are Serious About Making A Presence In The Arctic

My Comment:Russia and Canada are now spending an enormous amount of money to make a presence in the North Pole. This should not be a surprise. The Arctic is one of the last remaining frontiers in the world, and it holds geological and energy resources that have yet to be discovered. The U.S. footprint up north is via through Alaska .... a footprint that is neither small nor insignificant by any stretch of the imagination.

The Russians Are Serious About Making A Presence In The Arctic

Launching of the icebreaker St Petersburg at the Baltiysky Zavod in May 2009

Russia Is Breaking Into The Arctic With New Ship Technology -- The Telegraph/Russia Now

An historic event could have been left unnoticed if it wasn’t for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The operational start of icebreaker St Petersburg has helped Russia increase its advantages in the fight for the Arctic’s hydrocarbon and raw mineral reserves.

Several years ago, if the Russian icebreaking fleet did not seem hopeless, the outlook was definitely bleak. Veterans of the Soviet “ice power” ships, Lenin and Siberia, were effectively obsolete; three more nuclear-powered icebreakers were ready to be discarded; the unfinished successor – the nuclear-powered 50 Years of Victory – had been rusting on the water since 1993.

In 2007, it moved to an operational stage and shipbuilders also began working on a new order – the construction of two diesel-electric icebreakers, Moscow and St Petersburg.

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My Comment: This should be a wake up call for Canada, the U.S., the Danes, and the Norwegians.

Russia Plans To Create Arctic Military Force

Russia scientists planted flag on Arctic sea bed in 2007. Photo from Free Republic

Russian 'Arctic Military' Plan -- BBC

Russia has announced plans to set up a military force to protect its interests in the Arctic.

In a document published on its national security council's website, Moscow says it expects the Arctic to become its main resource base by 2020.

While the strategy is thought to have been approved in September, it has only now been made public.

Moscow's ambitions are likely to cause concern among other countries with claims to the Arctic.

Read more ....

Update: Canada says will defend its Arctic -- Breitbart/AP

More News On Russia's New Arctic Military Force

Russia plans to create dedicated military force to protect Arctic interests -- Canadian Press
Russia plans to create Arctic military force -- Breitbart/AP
Russia says won't stand still in race for Arctic -- Reuters
Special Russian force to 'protect' its 'assets' in the Arctic -- RTT News
Russia to deploy special Arctic force by 2020 - Security Council -- RIA Novosti
Russia to send troops to the Arctic Region -- Russian Info-Centre
Russia to create Arctic troops to defend ice treasures -- Pravda
New Cold War: Russian Forces To Patrol Arctic -- Sky News