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Russia Ups the Ante in the Arctic

Jamie Dettmer

   MOSCOW - From launching the world's first "combat icebreaker" to
   training soldiers on how to handle sleds pulled by reindeer, from
   rebuilding Soviet-era airbases and radar stations to adapting weapon
   systems and armored vehicles for cold-weather warfare, Russia is
   bolstering its military presence in the Arctic - and is keen to
   advertise the fact with war games and test firings of new missiles.

   The Kremlin's growing assertiveness is aimed to position Russia as the
   dominant power in the Arctic with an eye on untapped offshore oil and
   gas reserves, which are becoming more accessible because of warming
   temperatures, retreating polar ice and rising sea-levels, say Western
   analysts.

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