Streit um die Arktis

[Schneemann]

Russian Aggression in Ukraine Boosts Arctic Security Concerns

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has dramatically altered how the seven western nations in the Arctic Council approach the High North, creating a new emphasis on security in the region, a panel of regional diplomatic and security experts said Tuesday.

“We’re in new space,” David Balton, executive director of the Arctic Executive Committee in the Office of Science and Technology, said. “I’m not sanguine how the transition from the Russian chairmanship” of the council will proceed next year, he added, referring to Russia’s current role as the chair of the organization. Historically, the council had steered away from security issues. It concentrated on regional cooperation in scientific research, especially on climate and oceans, responding to natural disasters and emergencies, cooperation in law enforcement through a coast guard forum and the 4 million people who live in the Arctic.

Instead of five NATO members on the council, as in 2021, there soon will be seven. Finland and Sweden applied for NATO membership following Moscow’s Feb. 24 unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

At the Wilson Center event, Gregory Pollock, a senior Pentagon official responsible for Arctic affairs, said “Russia has changed the dynamic” of cooperation that marked Arctic affairs in recent years and now threatens peace and stability there, and also in Europe. [...]

Pollock pointed to the strategy’s first pillar as showing that the administration is “adopting a campaign mindset” to security there. Its primary focus is on defending the homeland and exploiting “probably our greatest advantage,” allies and partners. He also noted that the U.S. and the other six nations have already started to expand military exercises in the Arctic to understand how to operate under its extreme conditions, as the U.S. is expanding its icebreaker fleet to expand its presence in the region. [...]

On specific security concerns on climate and environmental change, the new strategy states: “We will work to improve Arctic observing, mapping, and charting; weather, water, and sea ice forecasting; subseasonal and seasonal prediction; emergency preparedness posture; and satellite coverage to enable efficient commerce and to ensure maritime and air safety.”

https://news.usni.org/2022/10/26/russian...y-concerns

Schneemann

[Schneemann]

Russian Arctic Threat Growing More Potent, Report Says

Russia’s Northern Fleet’s ballistic missile submarines and strategic bomber force’s capabilities remain intact despite the heavy toll the country’s invasion into Ukraine has had on its naval infantry, army and special forces assigned to the Kola Peninsula, a new report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies found.

The Arctic remains “of great strategic value to Russia,” Njord Wegge, a professor at the Norwegian Defense University College, said this week as the report was released. On the military side, the Kola Peninsula in the Arctic provides a gateway for Russia’s Northern Fleet’s attack and ballistic missile submarines to move through the Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom [GIUK] gap to reach the Atlantic. [...] “Russia has had 10 years of successful modernization” of its forces that it can fall back on, he said, specifically citing hypersonic weapons and silencing its submarines. [...]

Speaking at a Wilson Center event Thursday, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Michael Ryan, deputy commandant for operations, policy and capabilities, emphasized presence. “It’s about being there … to be successful” in providing security for the region, he said.

Adding the Arctic is a “unique domain” for security and military operations, Ryan said. The service’s expanded commitment can be seen in its building a heavy icebreaker and looking to buy another existing large icebreaking vessel to operate continuously there. Both are part of a long-term effort to rebuild the nation’s icebreaking fleet to three heavies and three medium icebreakers.

https://news.usni.org/2023/01/26/russian...eport-says

Ich lasse das mal offen, denn diese angemahnten "10 years of successful modernization" müssen vielleicht nicht unbedingt sich so drastisch ausgewirkt haben, wie es die Formulierung zuließe. Denn wenn die Marine, trotz ihrer Hyperschallwaffen und manchem neuen Atom-U-Schiff, genauso runtergewirtschaftet und von korrupten Befehlshabern zerfressen wurde wie der Rest der russischen Streitkräfte, dann dürfte die Schlagkraft nicht so stark sein, wie auf dem Papier zusammengerechnet.

Schneemann

[Schneemann]

Die Meinungsverschiedenheiten sind hinlänglich bekannt, aber der Wettlauf um die Ressourcen in der Arktis, die ja durch den Klimawandel in immer besserem Maße zugänglich werden, könnte durch die Streitigkeiten im Arctic Council (der seine Arbeit im März 2022, nach dem Überfall Russlands auf die Ukraine, vorläufig bzw. teilweise eingestellt hatte) nochmals einen neuen Schwung erhalten...

“The time of Arctic exceptionalism is over” – Lord Ashton

With the Arctic Council's breakdown and Sweden and Finland joining Nato, the inquiry into the Arctic and High North asks serious questions. [...] In an interview with Naval Technology Lord Ashton, chair of the IRDC (International Relations and Defence Committee), explained that as Russia is currently the chair of the Arctic Council of the eight Arctic states, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine having soiled relations between the parties involved, the other seven nations are in a position where they can no longer cooperate with the council. The secretariat of the council still functions, said Lord Ashton, but ”anything that the chair would normally have initiated didn’t happen.”

“The time of Arctic exceptionalism is over,” said Lord Ashton, lamenting the end of “what was a very good example of multipolar diplomacy in the Arctic Council.” [...] The committee will be looking to understand what role the UK can play in Arctic defence and deterrence, and in the event of a confrontation, what capabilities the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Nato members have to project troops forward into the European Arctic.

Part of this will relate to a survey of unique obstacles to military operations in the High North, with particular regard to the special training and equipment that are required to operate in the Arctic. If the High North is expected to be a source of significant military rivalry or security challenges in the future, some determination needs to be made about extra infrastructure, including within the UK, that would be required. [...] Understanding the current level of militarisation is another goal of the inquiry, including the military balance between Russia and Nato allies in the Arctic. The recent entrance of Sweden and Finland to the alliance will bear considerable examination. Evidence will be sought as to whether Russia is increasing its military presence, and the efforts that other Arctic nations have taken to resist Russia’s presence in the region. [...]

Lord Ashton expects the IRDC to visit the Arctic Council during the course of the inquiry to find the answer to this question before delivering their final report at the end of the year.

https://www.naval-technology.com/feature...rd-ashton/

Schneemann

[Schneemann]

Ich poste es mal vorbehaltlich hier: Ich mag Gilday eigentlich, er hat bislang ein recht guten Job gemacht (vor allem ist er eher wenig aufgefallen). Nun ja, entscheidend, weswegen ich es hier poste, ist nicht die Idee eines RIMPAC in Europa - da hätte es auch in den NATO-Strang gehören können -, sondern die Formulierung Euro-Atlantic polar region...

Das heißt nicht, dass ich es schlecht fände.

US Navy Chief Calls For RIMPAC-Style Exercise In Euro-Atlantic Region

The polar region of the Euro-Atlantic theatre becomes increasingly important in strategic terms. To such an extent that Western allies and partners could consider establishing a major multinational maritime exercise in this region, the US Navy’s (USN’s) Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Michael Gilday told a UK Royal Navy (RN) conference in London. [...] This significance is accelerating, as climate change potentially opens up new sea lines of communication (SLOCs) across the polar regions. [...]

Adm Gilday pointed to several specific events and sustained trends that are shaping Western strategic focus on the Euro-Atlantic polar region. “We no longer just talk about the trans-Atlantic nature of the [NATO] alliance. We are going to start talking about the trans-Polar aspect much more often. I think it’s going to drive our behaviour,” CNO said.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/202...ic-region/

Schneemann

[alphall31]

Großbritannien ist doch nicht mehr als ein Beobachter im arktischen Rat oder sehe ich das falsch ?

[quote] The committee will be looking to understand what role the UK can play in Arctic defence and deterrence, and in the event of a confrontation, what capabilities the United States, the United Kingdom, and other Nato members have to project troops forward into the European Arctic.
[quote]

[Schneemann]

Großbritannien ist doch nicht mehr als ein Beobachter im arktischen Rat oder sehe ich das falsch ?

Korrekt, genau übrigens auch wie Deutschland oder Frankreich. Feste europäische Mitglieder sind Dänemark, Schweden, Island, Norwegen und Finnland.

Schneemann