An incidental involving a Russian destroyer and a boatman from Norway, the first Russian-Chinese patrol in the Arctic Ocean, Canada announcing the construction of a defensive alliance with the Nordic countries – the fresh weeks have raised tensions that have been in the Far North for a long time. Moscow and Beijing are more and more explicit about their ambitions, and the West is not reasoning of giving way to their fields. due to the fact that the stakes of this race are truly high.
Media reports sounded dangerous. "I heard on the radio: "Here's a Russian warship. You must leave this area immediately.” I said, "No way," and then the shot came. There was a massive detonation that shook our full unit,” reported the captain of the Norwegian boat, who faced the destroyer "Admiral Lewchenko". The dramatic events occurred in September in the Barents Sea, and the fishing boat was then in Norwegian waters. The Russians themselves took water in the mouth. On the another hand, the Norwegian Navy maintains that the informing shot did not, however, fall, but that the Russian destroyer itself only maneuvered powerfully intimidated the crew of the boat. Of course, it can be assumed that the Russians wanted to deter civilians from the water in which the exercises were conducted. The question remains, however, why ships of the North Fleet decided to enter the Norwegian economical zone, which is simply a 200-mile wide sea belt adjacent to the Norwegian coast. There's no accident here.
Russian Navy during strategical exercises in the Barents Sea, 11.09.2024.
Russia has been trying to strengthen influence in the Arctic for years. And he frequently does so in a very determined way not to say aggressively. It rebuilds military facilities put out during the Cold War, sends ships to sea, and strategical bombers into the air. These actions increased even after the outbreak of a full-scale war in Ukraine. The Kremlin feels assured due to the fact that it has a powerful partner. In early October, the media reported on the first Chinese-Russian patrol in the world. A squad of ships was spotted in the Bering Strait, which separates Russia from the US, and then entered the Bering Sea.
NATO is watching these movements closely and does not want to stay passive. respective years ago, Americans had abandoned the base in Keflavik, Iceland, and the island itself was covered by the NATO Air Police Air Mission. Canada, on the another hand, has just announced that it intends to build an Arctic defence alliance with the Nordic countries. There's not much we know about him yet. According to the declaration, the states intend to strengthen military and intelligence cooperation in the Far North. But it's not over. In September, the defence ministers of Sweden and Finland announced that the second will shortly emergence NATO Battalion Combat Group (eFP). In the north of Europe, multinational forces will be deployed over which Swedish officers will take command. akin groups already be in Poland and the Baltic States.
Why is the Arctic so crucial to the world? For a fewer reasons. First of all, it's about her strategical position. From bases on the Far North, Russian ships can get close USA and Canada comparatively quickly. For China, the Arctic is the door to Europe. Through it it is to lead the shortest sea way from the Far East to the Old Continent.
But there's something else. The rapidly melting ice cover makes it easier to access the powerful natural materials that lie behind in this region of the world. And due to the fact that the legal position of the Arctic is not rather clear, both the powers and regional players effort to pull as much for themselves. The situation is very dynamic. We wrote about the Arctic in the last issue of the monthly magazine "Army Poland". Only the issue went to the printers and the media reported further incidents and long-term plans of countries curious in the region. 1 thing, however, does not change, and it is hard to presume that the tension persisting in the Arctic will become an open conflict. Russia, even despite its imperial policy, is besides weak to challenge the West. Plus, at least for now, she's completely consumed by the war in Ukraine. In turn, the foundation of Chinese politics is economical expansion, not military expansion. In addition, carrying out armed action at the another end of the planet would be an highly dangerous undertaking. The war with Russia does not want the West either – for many reasons it could prove besides expensive.
However, the field of action remains very wide. It extends from diplomatic procedures to military demonstrations to hybrid warfare. Here, especially the Russians seem ready for much, as shown by the incidental with the Norwegian boat mentioned at the beginning. Only akin actions are always on fragile ice.
