Russia Restoring Abandoned Arctic Base

Sends ships to New Siberian Islands amid international push for resources
By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 6, 2014 2:01 PM CDT
Russia Restoring Abandoned Arctic Base
Russian President Vladimir Putin in the city of Gorno-Altaisk, Siberia, Russia, Friday, Sept. 5, 2014.   (AP Photo/RIA-Novosti, Alexei Nikolsky, Presidential Press Service)

Russia left an Arctic base behind in 1993, but with countries increasingly eyeing local natural resources, it's headed back. Russia has sent an anti-submarine ship, a pair of amphibious vessels, and a tanker, among other vessels, to the New Siberian Islands, the BBC reports. "The main aim" of the trip "is to deliver personnel, equipment, and inventory of a Northern Fleet tactical group, which from this year on will serve on the New Siberian Islands on a permanent basis," says the defense ministry.

The islands were home to a base between 1933 and 1993, RT notes, but Vladimir Putin has sought to increase its presence in the Arctic. Last year, ships carried equipment to the islands. Following Canadian concerns over Arctic sovereignty, Putin noted that "many are wary of our efforts (in the Arctic), are scared by them," RT reports. "We have said many times that we will only act within the framework of international law, as we have always done and are going to do in the future." (More Russia stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X