Russia should reinforce guarding of Arctic boundaries - Putin
MOSCOW. April 22 (Interfax) - Russia should reinforce the guarding of its boundaries in the Arctic region, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Oil and gas extraction sites, loading terminals, and pipelines should be reliably protected from terrorists and other potential threats," Putin said at a session of the Russian Security Council dealing with the state policy in the Arctic region on Tuesday.
"All security issues need to be addressed carefully through interagency training exercises and practice, in which Defense Ministry, Emergency Situations Ministry, and other services should be involved regularly," he said.
Putin also called for improving the protection of Arctic boundaries, "including through reinforcing the sea component of the FSB [Federal Security Service] border force's maritime element," he said.
"It is necessary to simultaneously reinforce military infrastructure. In particular, the matter concerns the creation of a unified system of stationing of new-generation surface ships and submarines in our part of the Arctic," he said.
