Today, the Arctic region is at the heart of global geopolitical rivalries. For Russia, the Northeast Sea Route is a key strategic axis in economic, military and territorial terms, and is a source of tension with other major powers.
At a press conference on 21 March 2025, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that the Arctic could become a « springboard for possible conflicts ». This followed his American counterpart, Donald Trump, announcing plans to take control of Greenland. Putin went on to say that « it is clear that the role and importance of the Arctic, both for Russia and for the world as a whole, continues to grow », but that geopolitical competition in the area is intensifying. Russian ambitions are taking shape around the Northeast Sea Route, also known as the Northern Sea Route (NSR). This passage runs along Russia’s Arctic coastline, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans via the Barents, Kara, Laptev and East Siberian seas as far as the Bering Strait.
A major geopolitical challenge
The retreat of the sea ice, which is a direct consequence of climate change, is making this route increasingly navigable. This offers a strategic alternative to traditional routes, such as the Suez Canal. Moscow views the Northern Sea Route (NMR) as a cornerstone of its economic development and geopolitical strategy. It would open up the northern territories while also strengthening Russian sovereignty over the Arctic region. With this in mind, Russia is increasing investment in port infrastructure and modernising its military capabilities, as well as consolidating its surveillance systems — a move that has drawn criticism from the United States and China, who are also very active in the region.
Melting ice has reduced the extent of the pack ice by 40% since 1981, making the NMR accessible for up to nine months of the year. This climatic upheaval offers Russia the opportunity to control a corridor that, according to the International Maritime Organization, could account for up to 5% of world maritime trade by 2035. The Europe–Asia route via the NMR would save around 40% in terms of travel time, significantly reducing logistics costs. This passage also offers privileged access to major natural resources, including hydrocarbons and rare earths.
Aggressive Russian militarisation of the Arctic
Russia has significantly increased the militarisation of the Arctic, viewing the region as an essential “strategic bastion” for its sovereignty and geopolitical ambitions. It has reopened and modernised numerous Cold War-era military bases, including the strategic sites of Nagurskoe and Tiksi. These bases are now equipped with advanced systems, including the S-400, which can intercept aircraft, drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. This enhances Russia’s ability to deny access to the Arctic region.
Russia is investing heavily in the militarisation of the Arctic, which it regards as a ‘strategic bastion’ that is vital for its sovereignty and geopolitical ambitions. Former Soviet-era bases, such as Nagurskoe in the Franz Josef archipelago and Tiksi on the Siberian coast, have been reopened and upgraded. These facilities are equipped with modern air defence systems, including S-400 missile batteries, which can detect and neutralise various types of aerial threat. The Kola Peninsula remains a nerve centre, home to the military port of Murmansk and the closed city of Severomorsk — the headquarters of the Northern Fleet and a major base for nuclear-powered submarines. Comprising some twenty surface vessels and twenty submarines, this fleet is being modernised to maintain Russian superiority in the region amid growing NATO forces.
In 2023, Russia held a military parade in Barentsburg on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, an act that was seen as provocative by Oslo and that exacerbated diplomatic tensions with Western countries. This show of force comes against a backdrop of escalation, with Moscow denouncing NATO’s military exercises in the Arctic — particularly the increased presence of Finland and Sweden, who joined the alliance in 2024.
President Vladimir Putin has announced an increase in military personnel in the region, emphasising the importance of protecting Arctic energy resources — particularly the substantial oil and gas reserves beneath the ice — and defending Russian sovereignty against perceived external threats. This militarisation is accompanied by the strengthening of surveillance capabilities via drones, satellites, and coastal radars, with the aim of tightly controlling sea and air traffic in this strategic zone.
Russian territorial claims
Russia claims more than half of the Arctic coastline, representing around 53% of the region’s total coastline, which makes it a major player in the competition for control of the Arctic. Since 2001, it has submitted a formal request to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend its continental shelf beyond its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This request is based on the geological argument that the Lomonossov and Mendeleyev submarine ridges are extensions of the Eurasian continent.
In March 2021, Russia expanded this territorial claim by a further 705,000 km², encroaching upon the exclusive economic zones of Canada and Denmark, particularly around Greenland and in the Arctic Ocean. In February 2023, the CLCS partially validated this claim, recognising an extension of 1.7 million km², but did not endorse all Russian claims. This has led Moscow to submit new evidence in an attempt to obtain an additional 300,000 km².
These claims, which experts have described as « maximalist », are likely to provoke international tensions and legal disputes, particularly with Canada and Denmark, who are disputing the encroachments. Russia justifies its actions by stating that it wants to secure access to strategic natural resources, particularly the large deposits of natural gas, oil and minerals located under the Arctic continental shelf, especially on the Yamal Peninsula. These resources are vital to Russia’s economy, which relies heavily on hydrocarbon exports, and they are a key issue in the geopolitical competition between Russia, the United States, Canada, Norway and China. The latter is seeking to establish itself as an influential player by investing in the Northern Sea Route.
Russian infrastructure and investment
The nuclear icebreaker fleet
Russia has the world’s largest fleet of icebreakers, comprising around 40 vessels, seven of which are nuclear-powered and capable of breaking through ice up to three metres thick. Equipped with RITM-200 reactors developed by OKBM Afrikantov, these nuclear-powered icebreakers each produce 175 MW of thermal power and have a nuclear refuelling autonomy of around seven years, giving them a planned service life of 40 years.
In 2025, Moscow began construction of a new Leader-class icebreaker (Project 10510) with 120 MW of electrical power — the most powerful ever designed. This 170-metre-long vessel is designed to break through ice at speeds of up to 12 knots, enabling faster and safer transit in extreme Arctic conditions. These new icebreakers are intended to bolster Russia’s position in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region, by guaranteeing the delivery of LNG carriers for the Yamal LNG project.
These nuclear icebreakers play a vital role in Arctic logistics by escorting specially designed icebreaking LNG carriers, such as the Christophe de Margerie, which transports LNG prn months of the year, thereby guaranteeing the commercial and strategic viability of the Northern Sea Route (NMR).
Arctic ports
Russian Arctic ports play a central role in the RMN’s economic and geopolitical development strategy by ensuring the massive export of natural resources and logistical security in extreme conditions.
Opened in 2017 on the Yamal Peninsula, the port of Sabetta showcases Russian investment in the Arctic. Designed specifically for the export of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Yamal LNG project, it can handle up to 16.5 million tonnes of LNG per year. In order to cope with the harsh climatic conditions, Sabetta incorporates innovative infrastructure, including heated quays that prevent port equipment from freezing and guarantee continuity of operations, even in winter.
Meanwhile, the historic ports of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk, located in the western part of Arctic Russia, are undergoing a major modernisation programme to meet growing market demand. Murmansk is a deep-water, year-round, ice-free port and a major logistics and military centre. It is home to Russia’s fleet of nuclear icebreakers. As the head of the NMR network, it plays a key role in facilitating the export of coal, ore and hydrocarbons to Europe and Asia.
Meanwhile, Arkhangelsk is positioning itself as a complementary port, investing in port and rail infrastructure to improve connectivity with the Siberian hinterland and other Arctic ports. Both ports are adapting to the arrival of new ice-breaking container ships developed in partnership with Chinese shipyards. These ships are capable of navigating through thick ice while carrying a variety of cargo, ranging from raw materials to manufactured goods.
Surveillance and security systems
In order to secure the Northeast Sea Route, Russia has deployed the Arktika-M system: a constellation of Russian meteorological satellites in a specially designed Molnia elliptical orbit that provides near-permanent coverage of the polar regions. This is something that cannot be achieved with conventional geostationary satellites. The first two Arktika-M satellites, launched in 2021, will provide multispectral images and precise meteorological data, which are essential for forecasting extreme weather conditions and monitoring sea ice.
To complement the satellites, Russia is deploying innovative underwater drones that can explore and map the seabed along the NMR. Equipped with acoustic and optical sensors, these drones will be able to carry out precise bathymetric surveys in areas that are poorly mapped, where depths often do not exceed 30 metres.
The Russian system includes coastal radars and monitoring stations along the Siberian coastline to detect foreign intrusions and monitor maritime traffic. Coupled with satellite data and AIS (Automatic Identification System) information, these radars enable maritime routes to be optimised in real time, taking into account ice movements and weather conditions.
The North-East Sea Route has thus become a major geostrategic axis at the intersection of energy, commercial, and military interests. By focusing on this route, Russia is seeking to strengthen its role as an Arctic power in the face of growing competition from other world powers against a backdrop of climate change and the shifting international order.
