US Aims At Turning Arctic Region Into Theater Of Military Operations - Moscow

Faizan Hashmi Published May 23, 2019 | 03:16 PM

Nikolai Korchunov, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large for international Arctic cooperation, accused in his comment to Sputnik on Thursday Washington of turning the Arctic into a theater of military operations, refuting US claims that Russia was acting aggressively there as "groundless

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd May, 2019) Nikolai Korchunov, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large for international Arctic cooperation, accused in his comment to Sputnik on Thursday Washington of turning the Arctic into a theater of military operations, refuting US claims that Russia was acting aggressively there as "groundless."

US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said on May 6 that the United States would increase its military presence in the Arctic region and create a new senior military post for Arctic affairs in orders to counter Russian activities. Moreover, US National Security Adviser John Bolton announced on Wednesday that the United States would have a persistent year-round presence in the Arctic, as soon as its new polar ice breakers were in service.

"First of all, we would like to note that the US administration has recently stepped up its attention to the Arctic region .

.. Unfortunately, the intentions and plans that it has indicated show that US policies in the region are changing. Apparently, the policy toward turning the region into a prospective theater of military operations currently prevails, as well as a policy toward escalating tensions," Korchunov said.

He added that US claims about alleged Russian aggression in the region were "absurd" and "groundless."

"Russia pursues in the region an open and consistent international law-based policy, which envisages broad global cooperation for the sake of sustainable development. US participation is also welcome. We favor not confrontation and rivalry but cooperation ... and development, including within the Arctic Council, of international partnership for the sake of preserving the Arctic region as a zone of peace, stability and low military tensions," Korchunov added.