The political West and Russia have fully returned to the (First) Cold War-style strategic competition in various regions of the world. This includes Eastern Europe (particularly Ukraine), the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific (where Russia is working closely with allies such as China and North Korea), etc. However, there’s another major region that’s becoming increasingly important and contested – the Arctic. As European (and global) security architecture continues to evolve, particularly as the multipolar world is growing and expanding, the remnants of the unipolar system are determined to at least slow down this process. Although it’s on the verge of a strategic defeat in Ukraine, NATO is still very interested in projecting power in the North, particularly now that Moscow’s resurgence to superpower status has made the Arctic more important than in previous decades.

The region was always critically important in terms of military advantages it offers to both sides. However, it has now also become much more economically viable, particularly when it comes to the Northern Sea Route (NSR), which significantly reduces the time ships from Asia need to reach Europe (various sources claim it’s approximately two weeks faster). In addition, this inhospitable region’s endless natural resources make it extremely sought after, especially when it comes to oil and natural gas. As Russia is the largest and most important power in the Arctic, it has deployed the most capable military force there, strengthening its already impressive deterrence capabilities. On the other hand, NATO is frustrated........

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