Many countries are intensifying their training in the Arctic region to preserve their strategic interests (Reuters)
A report published by the Russian newspaper "Gazeta" revealed that the United States is preparing units and formations to fight in icy climates with the aim of defending its dominance in the Arctic, and confronting Russia and China in the region.
Writer Mikhail Khodarenok quoted the Business Insider newspaper as saying that Washington has paid special attention to the Arctic, and is preparing to defend its geopolitical interests there.
For this purpose, the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) is intensifying combat and operational training to adapt soldiers and leaders to the harsh conditions of the polar regions, where temperatures drop to freezing.
The writer said that Beijing pays remarkable attention to the Arctic, and it is difficult to determine whether it is acting in coordination with Moscow or in accordance with its own purely plan, driven by its desire to have a form of permanent presence in the Arctic for economic and political goals.
Russian steps
The writer points out that Russia, for its part, operates the largest fleet of icebreakers in the world, builds military bases, airports, and naval bases in the Arctic, improves the combat aircraft system and anti-aircraft missile cover, and modernizes radar reconnaissance equipment.
He explained that polar research long ago moved from the field of science to economics, which led to an intense political conflict between the countries bordering the Arctic.
He explains that when talking about the possibility of any armed conflicts erupting in the Arctic region, historical experience and the difficulty of conducting combat operations in this region should be taken into account due to the terrain and climate.
For example, during the defense of the Soviet Arctic, units and formations of the German army under the command of Colonel Nikolaus von Falkenhorst were unable to overcome the Mosta Tunturi mountain range on the Sredny Peninsula.
The Wehrmacht (German army) failed to achieve any of its goals in the Arctic.
With the arrival of winter and the polar night, the fighting practically stopped, under conditions characterized by significant drops in temperature and strong cold winds, causing the death of entire units.
Exclude
The writer rules out the occurrence of future wars similar to past armed conflicts such as those that occurred in World War II.
He stressed that Russia has improved its military infrastructure in the Arctic region over the past decades.
It is possible that the countries of the Arctic Ocean Basin will adopt similar steps.
For its part, the Kremlin noted that the Arctic remains an area of intense competition.
According to Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of President Vladimir Putin, Russia, as the largest Arctic country in the world, considers this region of strategic importance.
Source: Russian press