Reuters Ilya Timin
Conflict on the North Sea Route: West Russia Arctic Assault
Under the heading above, Andrei Baranov, in Komsomolskaya Pravda, wrote about the raging conflict over the polar region as the ice melted.
The article reads: Russia has the longest coast in the Arctic. And here they are, our competitors are rallying around the North Pole. Here, the United States of America, Canada, Norway and Denmark (via Greenland) work together. The ice is now melting, due to global warming, allowing access to oil and gas deposits on the Arctic shelf. For the same reason, it became possible to build a military presence in this area, which does not require the use of expensive icebreaker ships.
In this regard, “Komsomolskaya Pravda” spoke with the eminent expert in the Arctic situation, the former deputy of the Russian State Duma, and the head of the Russian Fleet Support Movement, Captain Mikhail Ninaashev, and he said:
The resource base on the coast and the shelf is enormous: oil reserves are estimated at 35-45 billion tons; Gas reserves amount to 80 trillion cubic meters. And for the sake of these resources and their exploitation by Russia, the West is pushing towards new dangerous conflict tensions. Therefore, the political and military pressure on us will increase in the Arctic.
During the summer, snow conditions improve on most parts of the road. But the 1982 agreement still requires guaranteed support from icebreakers. Therefore, we will stop foreign ships that try to cross the North Sea Route without permission.
And they will stop because they know the level of our naval and border forces in this area. We warn them that in the event of an accident or disaster due to their fault in the North Sea Route, the consequences, including environmental ones, could last for decades. We are in our home, and its safety is a priority for us.
And if they crossed their sweepers?
Then, they will have to coordinate all services with Russia: servicing icebreakers, use of navigation equipment, provision of rescue resources, etc. This is a financial issue. The cost may make the use of their sweepers meaningless, from an economic point of view.
The article expresses only the opinion of the newspaper or writer
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