The growth of conflict potential

This picture of captured Arctic Sunrise provides an illustration to the remarkable document prepared by the Russian Ministry for Regional Development. It is a draft proposal for the program on social and economic development of Russia’s Arctic zone published on the Ministry’s website. In the depth of this draft, there arefirm assessments about the growth of conflict potential and the task for the Armed Forces in repelling possible aggression and ensuring strategic deterrence. The assessments emphasizing the lack of experience in combat operations in this area and the need in building a system of rapind reaction on aggressive operations from other states certainly go against the official discourse on the commitment to peaceful cooperation in the Arctic.