Moscow is said to expect the Arctic to become its main source of oil and gas by 2020 and it's moving to create an Arctic military force to protect its interests. From BBC News:
In order to protect its assets, Moscow says one of its main goals will be the establishment of troops "capable of ensuring military security" in the region.
With climate change opening up the possibility of making drilling viable in previously inaccessible areas, the Arctic has gained in strategic importance for Russia, says the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow.
Given the fragile nature of the Arctic ecology, the resource rampage by Russia and others should manage to kill off most of it in short order. To date only Norway has acknowledged the environmental threats from Arctic resource extraction. With 90-billion barrels of oil said to be found in the region, exploitation and its associated problems are probably a foregone conclusion.
Think of Ice Station Zebra only without the ice.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7967973.stm
In order to protect its assets, Moscow says one of its main goals will be the establishment of troops "capable of ensuring military security" in the region.
With climate change opening up the possibility of making drilling viable in previously inaccessible areas, the Arctic has gained in strategic importance for Russia, says the BBC's James Rodgers in Moscow.
Given the fragile nature of the Arctic ecology, the resource rampage by Russia and others should manage to kill off most of it in short order. To date only Norway has acknowledged the environmental threats from Arctic resource extraction. With 90-billion barrels of oil said to be found in the region, exploitation and its associated problems are probably a foregone conclusion.
Think of Ice Station Zebra only without the ice.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7967973.stm
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