North Fleet commander: Russian military infrastructure in Arctic to help maintain regional parity
MOSCOW. Sept 23 (Interfax) - A purpose of the deployment of Russia's military infrastructure in the Arctic is to maintain the balance of regional forces. This activity is not aimed against third countries and complies with international legal principles, North Fleet Commander Admiral Vladimir Korolyov said.
"Extensive efforts are being taken to develop the Arctic zone infrastructure, which will reliably protect the interests of the Russian Federation in the Arctic and help maintain the parity and balance of forces in the region with the Russian military presence within the set limits," Korolyov said in comment on a live-fire exercise held on the Novosibirsk Islands archipelago.
Western Military District spokesman for the North Fleet Capt. 1st Rank Vadim Serga quoted the admiral as saying.
"The fleet operations in the Russian Arctic strictly comply with the principles and norms of international law and they are not aimed against third countries whose interests stretch out into some areas of the Arctic Ocean," the North Fleet commander emphasized.
The energetic development of Russia's infrastructure in the Arctic began in 2012. Back then, North Fleet marines landed on the beach of the Kotelny Island for the first time in the history of the Russian Navy. A naval unit led by the North Fleet flagship, the Pyotr Veliky heavy nuclear-powered missile cruiser, delivered hardware and materials to the Novosibirsk Islands in 2013 for restoring the Temp military airfield, the Defense Ministry said.
