Russia in the Arctic: Rivals and stakes

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the Arctic as a region has seen increased military and non-military activity. The continuous retreat of Arctic ice due to global warming has impacted the area not only environmentally but also geopolitically. The consequent opening up of Arctic sea-lanes and places of economic and strategic importance has led to a race among Arctic and non-Arctic states to dominate the area. Five major Arctic nations (Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and the US) have already started pursuing their own strategies in the region. This paper analyses Russia's interests in the Arctic, elucidating various challenges and opportunities that the country faces as the largest stakeholder.