NATO drills and Russian claims: Arctic standoff heats up
As the climate crisis progresses, the Arctic's importance is increasing. Areas that were once hard to reach are now free of ice for longer periods, and claims to northern territories, which were previously limited to political statements, are now being backed by more military involvement.
On February 17th, Arctic maneuvers will commence, involving American and Canadian troops (Arctic Forge 25), Norwegian forces (Joint Viking 25), and Finnish units (Local Defense Exercise 25), along with representatives from other NATO countries. They will collectively practice operations under extreme conditions in the far north.
This series of military exercises is part of increased military activity in the region. Russia is making claims on the international stage, simultaneously recognizing the Arctic—unilaterally—as its sphere of influence.
This was underscored by the Arktika-2007 expedition, during which the icebreaker Rossiya cleared a path to the North Pole for the research vessel Akademik Fyodorov. From Fyodorov's deck, two Finnish-built submersibles, Mir 1 and Mir 2, were deployed. After hours of submersion, they reached the seabed, about 2.7 miles under the water.
The crews of the submersibles collected seabed and water samples, and Mir 1 used a robotic arm to place the Russian titanium flag on the Lomonosov Ridge, a symbol of Putin's United Russia party and a time capsule.
The significance of the Lomonosov Ridge
Russia bases its claims on the belief that the Lomonosov Ridge, which resembles an underwater mountain range, is an extension of the Russian continental shelf—the part of a continent submerged under shallow ocean waters that defines the jurisdictions of individual states. The ridge runs across the Arctic, extending under the North Pole almost to Greenland.
If the Lomonosov Ridge is indeed an extension of the Russian shelf, it could have significant implications, allowing Russia to expand its exclusive economic zone by another 150 miles. According to international law, the part of the Arctic crucial for navigation, security, and resource extraction would become a Russian-controlled area.
Militarization of the Arctic
During the first Cold War, Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev described the Arctic as a "zone of peace," referring to the limited military activity in the region. Although both the East and the West have been building Arctic bases for decades, the harsh climate and ice covering much of the area kept military engagement by NATO and the Warsaw Pact (and primarily the USSR) limited.
Climate change has upended Arctic tranquility. Russia has not only re-supplied long-closed military bases but also constructed new ones, including airbases and radar stations.
A symbol of Russia's remilitarization of the Arctic is the expansion of the Nagurskoye base. On Franz Josef Land, a 1.6-mile airstrip and infrastructure for servicing MiG-31 and Su-34 aircraft have been developed.
Sirius Patrol and the Arctic Angels
These actions have not gone unanswered. This year's NATO military maneuvers—and indeed the entire series—are the culmination of years of efforts to rebuild the West's capability to conduct warfare in the Far North.
For decades, asserting Danish jurisdiction over Greenland was managed by the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol. This elite, currently 14-member, military unit is responsible for sending 2-person patrols along Greenland's coast.
Teams on dog sleds traverse thousands of miles of icy wastelands, demonstrating Denmark's control over the territory.
The soldiers of the Sirius Patrol are equipped with both modern Glock 20 pistols (which fire powerful 10 mm ammunition) and archaic M1917 Enfield rifles developed for World War I.
This combination is deliberate, as these weapons have proven reliable in extreme conditions.
While the Sirius Patrol still patrols Greenland, today—in the era of a new cold war—14 people are insufficient to compete for the Arctic. That's why the United States has reactivated the Arctic Angels, specifically the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division "Arctic Angels".
Faced with criticism over the American forces' inability to operate effectively in the far north (including issues like vehicles unable to traverse deep snow), the Pentagon has taken new challenges seriously.
Articulated, tracked all-terrain vehicles, like the Beowulf, have been introduced into service, and exercises beyond the Arctic Circle are being conducted not only by Arctic units but also by the Marine Corps.
Who will break the Arctic ice?
After years of neglect, the United States initiated the Polar Security Cutter program to build three new large icebreakers (currently, they have two). Russia has 34 such units, seven of which are large nuclear-powered icebreakers.
Some Russian units are equipped to mount weaponry. The Russian border guard also has patrol vessels, which essentially are armed icebreakers. .
New large icebreakers are being built in China, and the issue has been acknowledged by the new American administration. In late January, Americans tried unsuccessfully to free the 663-foot transport ship Manitoulin, which was stuck in the ice off the continent's northern coast.
Ultimately, the vessel was freed with Canadian assistance, and Donald Trump commented on the situation. The American president announced that the United States would build 40 new icebreakers.
The construction of an even larger number of such units—up to 90—is envisioned by the tripartite ICE Pact (Icebreaker Collaboration Effort) agreement from 2024, signed between the USA, Canada, and Finland, which has the greatest experience and capabilities in building such units in the West.
