Russia To Establish A Military Command For The Arctic

RIA Novosti / Vitaliy Ankov

Russia To Set Up Arctic Military Command By 2014 -- RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, February 17 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will form a new strategic military command by the end of 2014 to protect its interests in the Arctic, a high-ranking military source told RIA Novosti Monday.

“The new command will comprise the Northern Fleet, Arctic warfare brigades, air force and air defense units as well as additional administrative structures,” the source in Russia’s General Staff said.

The military structure, dubbed the Northern Fleet-Unified Strategic Command, will be responsible for protecting Russia’s Arctic shipping and fishing, oil and gas fields on the Arctic shelf, and the country’s national borders in the north, the source said.

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Update #1: Russian military to have special command for Arctic operations -- RT
Update #2: Russian military boosts arctic presence -- UPI

My Comment: There are some media reports that the establishment of an arctic military command is a bit premature .... but I suspect that it is in the works and that it will be established by the end of this year .... from the Russian perspective, there is just too much at stake in the north.

Update: The U.S. plan for the arctic is different.