The "new battlefield" can cause the US - Russia to confront fiercely

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 Russia's expanding presence in the Arctic, a resource-rich region when the ice begins to melt, has forced the US to speed up its race there, raising fears of a tense confrontation between the two powers.


After parachuting into the frigid Alaskan hinterland, Captain Weston Iannone and his men traveled kilometers through thick snow to establish a makeshift outpost on a mountainside.


The sky was dark, the temperature dropped below 0 degrees Celsius, and 120 men and women participating in a large exercise in the sub-Arctic region were still unable to set up tents. The logistics line that supplies fuel and essentials to keep warm is still stuck behind.


"Everything is a challenge, from water, fuel, food to the movement of troops," said Iannone, noting that the exercise is a test to see the limits of physical and mental endurance that the army can endure. How the American people can stand it.


The first exercise this month, involving about 8,000 troops near Fairbanks in central Alaska, was planned long before Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine. However, part of the reason why the US decided to act was the accusation that Russia over the years was militarizing the Arctic, an area with which the US and Russia share a long maritime border.


Tensions have been growing in the region for years, as the countries concerned claim shipping routes and energy reserves that are emerging as a result of climate change. Now, with the changing geopolitical order following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, competition for sovereignty and resources in the Arctic could become increasingly fierce.


On the west coast of Alaska, the United States is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to expand the port at Nome, which could be turned into a deep-water port for coast guard and naval vessels entering the Arctic Circle. The US Coast Guard is expected to deploy three new icebreakers - although Russia already has more than 50 in service.


The Pentagon also plans to increase its military presence and capacity in the Arctic. The US has shipped dozens of F-35 fighter jets to Alaska, stressing that the state will be home to "more modern fighter jets than anywhere in the world".


The US military last year announced its first strategic plan with the goal of "regaining leadership in the Arctic". The US Navy this month conducted exercises above and below sea ice inside the Arctic Circle. The US also rolled out a plan to protect US interests in the region, warning that inferiority in the Arctic would give Russia and China the upper hand.


This is not an easy task. While Mr. Iannone's team was able to pitch a tent and survive the night, other service members were not so lucky. Eight service members were injured due to the extreme cold and four were taken to hospital after a fire in their personal vehicle.


In Norway, four US Marines were killed during a cold-weather exercise when their plane crashed.


Stress increases heat

Russia, whose eastern part lies just 88 kilometers from Alaska's coast across the Bering Strait, has for years prioritized expanding its presence in the Arctic by repairing airfields, building more bases, training train the army and develop a network of military defense systems on the northern border.


With the climate warming, sea ice in the region is shrinking, valuable fish stocks are moving north, while the Arctic's rare minerals and substantial fossil fuel reserves are becoming increasingly targeted for exploration.


For centuries, the vast seas off the Arctic Ocean have been largely uninhabited land covered in ice that matters for precise demarcation between the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. still not resolved.


But as melting sea ice has opened up new shipping routes and as nations pay attention to the vast deposits of hydrocarbons and minerals on the Arctic seafloor, potential disputes have arisen.


Canada and the US never reached an agreement on the status of the Northwest Passage between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Beaufort Sea. China is also working to build a foothold, declaring itself a "sub-Arctic country" and working with Russia to promote "sustainable" development and expand the use of trade routes in the Arctic. .


Russia has made it clear that it intends to control the Northern Sea Route off its northern coast, a route that dramatically shortens the shipping distance between China and Northern Europe. The US accuses Russia of asking other countries to get permission to pass through the area and has warned of using military action against ships that do not comply.


The focus in recent years has been on expanding channels of diplomacy and cooperation through the Arctic Council. However, this operation was halted after Russia entered Ukraine. Faced with these circumstances, the US has begun to prepare for handling future escalation scenarios, and competitive developments are expected to continue to "heat up" further.

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