Languages

Putin: Russia must strengthen position in Arctic

Russia's President Vladimir Putin wants more attention to the Arctic. Photo from the 3rd Arctic Forum in Salekhard.

The Arctic plays an important role for Russia in terms of security; we should pay more attention to the development of the region, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday.

Location

“Our interests are concentrated in the Arctic. And of course we should pay more attention to development of the Arctic and the strengthening of our position there,” Putin said at the Seliger-2014 youth camp outside Moscow, Reuters reports.

“The Arctic is a special region; it is not only harsh but also promising. It is a favorable region for development of transport infrastructure”, the president said. “The Arctic plays an important role in terms of security. Attack submarines belonging to the United States of America are concentrated there. We also have our fleet there. Today it is easy enough to follow the vessels, but when they go under the ice, they cannot be seen…”, Putin explained according to RIA FAN.

Russia is in the process of finishing gathering evidence to substantiate the country’s territorial claim for parts of the Arctic shelf to the UN. The claims will be submitted to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) in spring 2015. If Russia proves that the Lomonosov Ridge and the Mendeleev Ridge are an extension of the Russian continental shelf, the country will receive the right to the additional 1.2 million square kilometers in the Arctic.