The Kremlin is expanding its military presence in the Arctic and preparing a foothold for resource-driven expansion, according to Andriy Chernyak, a representative of the Main Intelligence Directorate of Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense.
This was reported by Main Intelligence Directorate on Facebook.
Amid global warming and the emergence of new strategic opportunities in the Arctic—such as access to mineral deposits and the Northern Sea Route—Russia is stepping up its activities in the region. Russia is attempting to secure its economic and military-technical presence there under the guise of “scientific research.”
"A key tool for implementing Russia’s Arctic strategy is the state enterprise “Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.” While it formally conducts “scientific missions,” it is in fact a component of Moscow’s resource-military project," Chernyak noted.
The project’s goals include geological exploration of new gas and oil fields; analyzing ice conditions in the Northern Sea to lay out shipping routes; and modeling climate and oceanographic changes through 2035 to enable long-term exploitation of the region.
Scientific expeditions organized by the institute study water temperature, currents, wind patterns, and predict changes in ice coverage. All of this data has a dual purpose—serving both civilian uses and military planning, including naval operations.
At the same time, Russia is developing infrastructure in the region: installing communications equipment, including satellite systems that can be used to coordinate Arctic operations of Russia’s Northern Fleet and support unmanned systems.
“The world must be prepared for the fact that the Kremlin’s latest 'scientific initiatives' are merely a cover for a new phase of Arctic militarization. The aggressor state is gradually turning the region into a staging ground for power projection, control over logistics routes, and access to resources. If the international community continues to underestimate these developments, the Arctic could become the next zone of tension,” ntelligence Directorate's representative warned.
