New Arctic military bases soon manned and equipped

«The strengthening of the Russian presence in the Arctic is today one of our biggest priorities, a Defense Ministry official says to newspaper Izvestia. The source confirms that the construction and upgrade of six bases on the country’s Arctic archipelagos are approaching an end.

Among the bases are Rogachevo in Novaya Zemlya, the Aleksandra Island in Franz Josef Land, the Sredny Island in Severnaya Zemlya, Kotelny in the New Siberian Island, the Wrangel Island and in Cape Schmidt. 

The infrastructure objects will be ready by 2017, Izvestia writes.

«We apply the most modern and advanced approaches to architectural planning in the construction solutions», the Ministry representative says. «In addition, the Ministry has taken the responsibility for protection of flora and fauna in the area», the source adds.

With the new base facilities, Russia will have a significantly strengthened military presence in the far north. The country says it needs the bases in order to protect its expanding industrial activities in the region, as well as the Northern Sea Route.