In recent years, as the strategic value of the Arctic region has become increasingly prominent, United States have become more and more interested in this extremely cold land.
The United States Department of Defense recently released the Arctic Strategy 2024, updating the regional strategy for the first time since 2019.
The updated strategy declares to expand United States military capabilities and surveillance activities in the Arctic.
Screenshot of the official website of the United States Department of Defense
"The U.S. report shows confrontational overtones"
The Arctic continent and islands cover a total area of about 8 million square kilometers, and the relevant territorial sovereignty belongs to eight countries, including Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and United States.
In recent years, as global climate change intensifies, the strategic value of the region has become more prominent as it has become easier to open shipping lanes, extract energy and deploy military forces in the Arctic.
The latest report released by the United States Department of Defense describes the Arctic as a "strategically important region" for the United States, strategically important for "the northern passage to United States territory" and "important United States defense infrastructure," among other things.
The report said the United States Department of Defense sought to increase investment in high-tech sensors, radar systems and a range of military equipment to ensure that the Arctic did not become a so-called "strategic blind spot."
The report also highlights the need for United States to strengthen cooperation in the Arctic with NATO allies such as Canada. It mentions that the United States and its allies plan to put into operation more than 250 advanced multirole military aircraft capable of performing missions in the Arctic region by 2030.
Screenshot of the report on the United States "Space News" website
In addition, the report highlights the new challenges posed by climate change.
The Arctic is warming "more than three times faster than the rest of the world" and could have its first "barely icing summer" by 2030, the report said. And as the Arctic ice melts, increased human activity will increase the risk of accidents and miscalculations.
At the time of the release of the document, United States Deputy Secretary of Defense Hicks openly claimed at a briefing that Russia poses a "serious threat" to the security and stability of the Arctic region. To do this, the United States must develop strategies and ensure that the U.S. military is prepared to mitigate the risk of potential contingencies in the Arctic.
She also revealed that with Finland and Sweden joining NATO, United States has become allies with seven Arctic countries. They will continue to conduct military training and exercises in the region.
Screenshot of the official website of the United States Department of Defense (Hicks is pictured)
Asked what he thought of the United States Arctic strategy report, press secretary of the President of Russia, Dmitry Peskov, pointed out that the US report showed confrontational overtones, while Russia has always taken a responsible position on the Arctic issue and "contributed to ensuring that the Arctic does not become a zone of strife and tension."
Screenshot of the TASS report
United States is looking for an excuse for militarizing the Arctic
The outside world has noticed that United States has been targeting the Arctic region in the past two years.
Last year, United States President Joe Biden appointed United States' first Arctic ambassador; At the same time, the United States State Council's unilateral announcement to expand its claims to the continental shelf of the Arctic and large areas of the Bering Sea has aroused great anger from Russia, the largest Arctic country in the geographical sense.
In addition, United States last year proposed to spend more than $600 million to expand the Port of Nome, Alaska, into United States's first deep-water port in the Arctic, and one of the purposes of the expansion is to facilitate the docking of United States warships.
Analysts believe that the expanded Port Nome will become the core of the United States' strategic infrastructure in the Arctic.
Screenshot of the Associated Press report
For Russia, the Arctic region is very important.
According to some data, more than 80% of the combustible gas and 17% of the oil (including condensate) reserves in Russia are distributed in the Arctic region.
In addition, in the new version of the maritime doctrine approved by Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Arctic is also listed first in the coverage of Russia's national maritime interests.
Russian Prime Minister Mishustin stressed at a government meeting that the Northern Sea Route across the Arctic is very important for transporting goods to northern Russia, transporting metals and energy to world markets, and transiting between Asia and Europe, especially under Western sanctions. Therefore, "it is necessary to expand Russia's icebreaker fleet more actively."
Screenshot of the TASS report
Due to the vast territory of Russia in the Arctic and its absolute superiority in the field of icebreakers, the United States clearly feels the "crisis" and has strengthened cooperation with other Western Arctic countries to jointly confront Russia.
In the context of the continuous prolongation of the Ukraine crisis, the United States has stepped up its deployment in the Arctic, causing Russia to be highly vigilant and tough countermeasures.
The intensification of hostility between the two sides has made the security situation in the Arctic region even more serious.
Russian Minister of Far East and Arctic Development Chekunkov pointed out that Western countries intend to turn the Arctic into another "battlefield", and "for us, the Arctic is a zone of cooperation."
Chekunkov (data map)
Wei Dongxu, editor of Global Information Broadcasting of the main station, believes that the current United States stepping up its strategic deployment in the Arctic region is looking for an excuse for militarization of the Arctic:
The US military wants to strengthen its surveillance and intelligence-gathering capabilities against the Arctic in order to pave the way for its subsequent naval and air forces and ground combat forces to take military action in the Arctic region.
In the future, the US military's strategic bombers, fighters, aircraft carrier battle groups and other offensive combat forces will enter the Arctic more and strengthen military deterrence against Russia from different directions.
The U.S. military has strengthened its exclusive military presence in the Arctic with the aim of maximizing control over Arctic resources and enlisting other Arctic countries to restrain similar activities by Russia.
Screenshot of the New York Times report
As one of the few regions of the planet that is less affected by human activity, NATO needs to be protected, experts noted. United States should not turn the pure land of the Arctic into a "hot land" full of gunpowder for its own selfish interests. At the same time, United States has no right to make irresponsible remarks about the normal Arctic activities of other countries in accordance with international law.
Peace, stability and cooperation are the foundation of all Arctic affairs, and conflict and confrontation should not be drawn into the Arctic. The Arctic is not the "northern backyard" of some countries, still less should it be reduced to a "gladiatorial arena" for political and military competition.
Source: Global Information Broadcasting