Russia wants increased national control in the Arctic
Putin’s Russia’s desire for increased national control in the North leads to increased civilian activity and modernization of military resources, according to the Norwegian military intelligence services report Fokus 2017, which was presented by Lieutenant General Morten Haga Lunde on Monday.
Russia’s primary goal is to increase the degree of national control in the Arctic. That leads to increased civilian activity and presence.
Russia’s primary goal is to increase the degree of national control in the Arctic. That leads to increased civilian activity and presence.
Lieutenant General and head of the Norwegian intelligence services, Morten Haga Lunde, said so in a statement when presenting Fokus 2017 yesterday. Fokus 2017 is the military intelligence services’ evaluation of current security challenges.
Russia features significantly in the report, for obvious reasons, and careful attention is paid to her extensive activities in the north.
- Russia desires increased control in the northern areas in order to prevent other actors from challenging Russian financial and military strategic interests in the region when the sea ice melts and easier access to the Arctic is available, the report states.
Ownership of the Arctic and the North Pole
It is also argued that the military infrastructure in the north is being modernized, and that there is an ongoing work in process in terms of establishing a formal, international framework in line with Russia’s own interests.
The latter includes initiatives directed towards the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf and Russia’s desire (like those of Denmark and Canada) of increased ‘ownership of the Arctic’ and the North Pole.
Weakened economy
Russia’s main challenge in its strive for increased control is the country’s economy. The economic sanctions from the West may lead to a period of a weaker Russia, where others increase their positions, the Fokus 2017 report argues.
According to the intelligence services, Russia’s civilian interests in the North lie mainly in the potential for exploration of natural resources, as well as in the prospects for making the Northern Sea Route an international trade route.
Affects Norwegian interest
In a military perspective, the main task of the northern fleet will still be to provide a part of the Russian strategic capacity of nuclear determent and retaliation.
This ability is increased, and through that also the ability to affect Norwegian interests and operational freedom, the military intelligence services report states.
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