Russia Denies Possibility of Conflict in the Arctic

With recent discoveries in the Arctic regions and the North Pole, the potential for a military confrontation between regional powers increased significantly, military analysts warned at the time. Norway, Denmark, the US, Canada and the Russian Federation all claimed areas of influence over rich oil and natural gas fields, but Russia took its demands more seriously than others, and, a few months ago, announced the creation of an Arctic task force, which would essentially establish a permanent military residence in the area. Now, the country downplays the significance of this threat.

Last month, the Kremlin included the Arctic in a report that enumerated the regions of the world the nation could potentially be engaged in conflicts in by 2020, for control of strategic mineral resources. Military analysts also highlighted the fact that Russia was, at the moment, building up its military strength, for the purpose of being able to resist any attack from any nation in the world. Yesterday, officials said that the hype around these military maneuvers was unfounded, and that there was no reason for concern over a conflict breaking up at this point.

Large regions of the Arctic are believed to soon become available for routine exploitations, as global warming and climate change continue to melt ice caps and open up new navigation canals in the area. Under these circumstances, drilling for oil and gas could soon become economically feasible, and all countries that have borders with the Arctic are expected to soon lay claims over specific territories. “Nobody's going to war with anybody, we don't need to talk about this. We will defend our economic interests but I don't see a conflict in the near future,” Artur Chilingarov, the Russian president's envoy to the Arctic, said, quoted by Reuters.

Russian Navy officials also explained that nuclear submarines from the Northern Fleet would be deployed in the Arctic, in an attempt to support Russian efforts and claims. “The increased NATO activities in the Arctic could erode constructive cooperation between littoral nations,” Andrei Nesterenko, a spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry, stated about a potential NATO exercise in Norway.