Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu traveled to the Arctic to inspect troops deployed in a region where Moscow has been strengthening its military strength in recent years, the ministry announced on Saturday.
Shoigu “inspected the garrisons of the Northern fleet in the Arctic” and the preparation of soldiers to “defend installations of particular importance” in this strategic area for Moscow, the ministry reported on the Telegram platform.
Together with the head of the Russian nuclear agency (Rosatom), Alexei Likachev, the Russian minister also visited a testing ground for nuclear weapons.
Russia has significantly increased its military potential in the Arctic in recent years, even before the conflict in Ukraine began. In that region, he rehabilitated several bases abandoned since Soviet times and deployed advanced weapons such as S-400 anti-aircraft systems.
Rich in hydrocarbon reserves, the region is also sparking Moscow’s interest in the Northeast Passage, which could become a maritime route between Europe and Asia if the ice melts due to global warming.
Russia views the entry of two other Arctic countries into NATO as a threat, following Finland’s entry into the military alliance in April and Sweden’s possible entry in the coming months.
Source: DN
