The Arctic is “where the confrontation of the world’s leading states is unfolding,” the head of the Russian Navy said at a recent forum in St. Petersburg where regional cooperation had traditionally dominated the agenda.
“In addition to political and economic measures to contain Russia in the Arctic, unfriendly states are increasing their military presence in the region,” said Adm. Aleksandr Moiseev, who took command of the Russian Navy in March. He specifically mentioned the United States’ re-establishing the Second Fleet in 2018 and the 2021 creation of NATO’s Joint Force Command in Norfolk.
Moissev said one reason for the rise in tensions has been Moscow’s suspension from the eight-member Arctic Council, following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the placing of economic sanctions on Russian financial institutions, businesses and individuals.
The other seven nations in the forum are NATO members.
He added that updated Arctic strategies, including the United States, “enshrine an anti-Russian focus and also allow for the thesis that the nationalization of the Northern Sea Route by the Russian Federation is inadmissible. Also, unfriendly states are increasing their military presence in the region.” […]
Left unchecked, Russia “wants to claim the Arctic as theirs,” Adm. Daryle Caudle, Fleet Forces commander, said during a recent online Navy League event. He and Moiseev were reflecting on the new dynamics in the region. Examples include Canada which has re-evaluated its High North Strategy and foreign policy, China has shown increasing economic and military interest in the region and new Scandinavian allies reminding NATO look north to a major threat to the alliance’s security.
Caudle, speaking as the component commander for Northern Command, said, “my goal is for the Navy to have a footprint there” with the capabilities to operate in a region where navigation systems are under stress and communications difficult.
He added, “we have a team up there” to contain Russian’s Arctic ambitions. He was referring to allies like the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden and Finland. He specifically mentioned the Harry S. Truman carrier strike group conducting joint operations with Royal Navy carrier strike groups in October in the North Sea as an example of regional allied cooperation
“We want to do things on the surface,” not just with submarines in the Arctic and northern waters. Caudle added, “I’m all behind” the recently signed memorandum of understanding between the United States, Canada and Finland to build icebreakers. Called ICE Pact, “what I would like to see is them delivered” to demonstrate year-round presence. Läs artikel