The increasing importance of the Arctic is due to two factors: climate change that opens up the area for the exploration of natural resources, and the general Russian military build-up, some of which takes place in the Arctic region
The combination of Cold War tendencies and the willingness to use military solutions to push for political goals – read Georgia, Ukraine and Syria – leads me to conclude that the wider implications of the Russian military build-up in the Arctic is indeed worrisome.
Scholars and policy makers have diverging views of Russia’s military developments in the Arctic. Some argue that the increasing military presence is primarily aimed at complementing civil authorities in surveillance and search and rescue. Others argue that Russia is protecting its national interests and in strengthening the defence in the North Western direction. Others detect a more offensive edge.
When we look at the facts we clearly see that Russia’s increasing military presence in the Arctic is consistent with how Russia has boosted its capabilities in the Baltic Sea and elsewhere. Läs anförandet