In the middle of the global tumult, the news went almost unnoticed. However, it highlights the emergence of a new playground between imperial powers. At the end of March, an international conference on the Arctic was held in Mourmansk, Russia, the most populous city in the world beyond the polar circle. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, the most important base of the northern fleet was there, hosting two thirds of the Russian nuclear submarines.
Historically strategic for Moscow, the region is becoming it again. Vladimir Putin himself says it. After years of relative abandonment, the master of the Kremlin decided to respond to the ambitions of Donald Trump, who does not exclude taking Greenland by force to transform it into 51st American condition. “These are serious projects on the part of the United States (…), projects to ancient historical roots,” said the Russian president, expressing, in passing, his concern in the face of the fact that “NATO countries are increasingly consider the Far North as a springboard for possible conflicts”.
“A GO game, of space occupation”
For decades, American nuclear bombs have been sleeping in the Thule, Greenland base, alongside a giant radar supposed to detect ballistic missiles. Russia, on the other hand, strengthens its military presence near the Norwegian border, where submarines play cat and mouse. “Trump accelerates things. The United States has realized that Russia and China were extremely active in the region, blows Jean-Joseph Boillot, specialist in major emerging economies. We are in a GO game, of space occupation. »»
In Mourmansk, Vladimir Putin announced a series of measures to strengthen the Russian presence in the Arctic: tripling city’s transport capacities, development of ports, modernization of rail links with Siberia and recovery of mining. In addition, Moscow keeps a step ahead thanks to its largest icebreaker fleet, the largest in the world: 46 units, against five American side. “The Chinese, on the other hand, have recovered Russian technology and build ships in turn,” notes Jean-Joseph Boillot.
New crucial maritime roads
In addition, the melting of ice opens the way to the extraction of considerable natural resources: 13 % of oil not yet discovered, 30 % of world natural gas, copper, rare metals. These treasures are nevertheless difficult to access. “In the region, it is oil that counts for Russia, but operating costs are very high,” says Dmitry Nekrasov, Russian economist and former advisor to President Dmitri Medvedev. Moscow strongly depends on Western technologies for extraction. French companies, like Total, are always active, while trying to respect the sanctions. Since the gas pipelines to Europe have been cut, Russia has to deliver gas and oil by boat. »»
This is why the new maritime roads that open for LIFIERs and Tankers are crucial. Desert less and less icy, the Arctic indeed becomes a crossroads of interests. Europe, on the other hand, is struggling to display a clear strategy.
