Russia to Reorganize Military, US to Appoint Special Envoy for Arctic Region

[unhappycamper]

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/cranestation/54324/russia-to-reorganize-military-us-to-appoint-special-envoy-for-arctic-region

Russia to Reorganize Military, US to Appoint Special Envoy for Arctic Region
Energy Policy | Environmental Policy | Foreign Policy
by CraneStation | February 20, 2014 - 8:36am

As temperatures rise and ice recedes in the Arctic, uncovering oil, natural gas and mineral untapped resources in the 'last frontier,' Arctic Council bordering countries jockey for strategic positioning. This week, Russia announced plans to reorganize military forces in the Arctic, and US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the State Department "will establish a special representative for the arctic region."

The Barents Observer reports that Russia will establish Northern Fleet-United Strategic Command (Severny Flot-Obedinyonnoye Strategicheskoye Komandovaniye, SF-OSK) this year, to provide security for its civilian and naval Arctic vessels and protect its natural resources. Barents Observer explains that according to its source for the news, ITAR-TASS:

SF-OSK will consist of the Northern Fleet and units of other military branches located in the northern parts of the country. This will probably include the 200. motorized infantry brigade based in Pechenga close to the border to Norway. This unit became part of the Northern Fleet in December 2012. Also newly formed units on Novaya Zemlya, the New Siberian Islands and Franz Josef Land will also be part of SF-OSK, ITAR-TASS reports.

Although the new association will have military status, it will not be officially so named.



Map of the Arctic with the Arctic Circle in blue.