Russia to Increase the Northern Fleet’s Combat Readiness and Strengthen Arctic Shipbuilding and Port Capacity
Last week, Presidential Aide Nikolai Patrushev was appointed leader of Russia's new maritime collegium, which will secure the country's national interests in the Arctic, among other things. This week, he visited the Murmansk region with this specific topic on the agenda. The trip included visits to the Northern Fleet's main base, Atomflot's icebreaker base and local shipbuilding facilities. (Photo: Kremlin)
Strengthening Russia's military capabilities and increasing the Northern Fleet's combat readiness are prioritized tasks to secure national interests in the Arctic, said Presidential Aide Nikolai Patrushev during a Murmansk visit. He also announced increased efforts to develop the Northern Sea Route.
Nikolai Patrushev, aide to Russian president Vladimir Putin and the leader of the country's new maritime collegium, recently visited the Murmansk region in Northwest Russia.
On Monday, he held a meeting about ensuring Russia's national interests in the Arctic, writes the Russian state-owned news agency TASS.
At the meeting, Patrushev expressed both criticism of and willingness to cooperate with the other Arctic countries.
"They [the US and its allies, ed. note] have actively built up their military presence in the Arctic and intensified the campaign to discredit Russia's actions in the Arctic region. Finland and Sweden joining NATO have further worsened the situation," he said and continued:
"We cannot do anything but react to such aggressive actions. Thus, strengthening the Russian armed forces' capabilities, including increasing the Northern Fleet's combat readiness, is one of the priorities to secure national interests in the Arctic."
Open to Arctic dialogue
The presidential aide also highlighted that "the US and its allies blocked the Russian chairship of the Arctic Council" (from the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022) but added that Moscow is prepared for further interaction within the forum, according to TASS.
"We are ready to resume dialogue and constructive cooperation with the Arctic states for the peaceful development of the Arctic, with respect for our national interests," said Patrushev.
The Northern Sea Route
The further development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) through strengthened shipbuilding and port capacity was also a central topic at the aforementioned meeting, according to several news reports from TASS.
The significance of the NSR has increased in the past few years for Russia due to Western sanctions, the presidential aid maintained – and emphasized the importance of direct access to India and South Asian countries, the Persian Gulf, and Africa, with which trade continues.
Furthermore, he pointed out that it is necessary to significantly increase the building of modern freighters, including ice-class vessels, at Russian shipyards, announcing the development of effective measures for state economic support to the shipbuilding industry.
As of today, Russia has seven nuclear-powered ice breakers, and new ones are underway: four are to be built at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg and one at the Zvezda Shipyard in the Russian Far East.
Prioritized ports
The upgrade of Arctic port facilities from the northwest to the northeast Russia was, as indicated, also on the agenda:
"For the Northern Sea Route to assume the role as one of the most important transport veins in Russia, it is necessary to modernize infrastructure and ensure the development of ports along the sea route; first and foremost ports in Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Dikson, Tiksi, and Pevek," stated Patrushev according to TASS.
"We must also use the potential of inland waterways more actively - our largest rivers such as the Lena, Ob, Yenisei and canals, especially the White Sea-Baltic Sea canal," he added.
