Russia's military exercise in the Arctic: Power game in the cold north!

Russia's military exercise in the Arctic: Power game in the cold north!

On April 8, 2025, the Russian North Sea fleet launched a comprehensive military maneuver in the Arctic. Around 1,800 soldiers take part in this large maneuver, supported by more than 20 ships as well as 40 aircraft and helicopters. The exercise, which is under the command of North Sea fleet boss Konstantin Kabanzow, is attributed to several days. The aim of the maneuver is to ensure control over military and civilian infrastructures in the region and to ensure the safety of the commercial navy of Russia and the strategic sea routes, in particular the northeast passage. Russia has made great efforts in recent years to expand its military capacities in the Arctic, which is becoming more important due to climate change and geopolitical changes.

The maneuver was announced as a scheduled exercise, with Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin classifying the Arctic as a strategically important region for Russia. Putin also expressed concerns that NATO wants to use the Arctic as a bridgehead for potential conflicts. The region, which has gained in importance through maritime trade routes such as the northeast passage, is increasingly being opened for shipping traffic, especially because of the ice meltdown.

military strategy and NATO challenges

Particular attention is paid to the fact that Finland's accession to NATO has almost doubled the NATO border with Russia and has changed the military situation in the region significantly. For a long time, NATO has not actively dealt with the Arctic because it was considered the "zone of peace". But since the end of the Cold War there has been a growing interest in military and economic activities in the region.

NATO took into account the regional development after Russia annexed the Crimea in 2014 and began to analyze military threats in the Arctic more precisely. Security interests in the Arctic were regional to the five Arctic NATO members, but the potential for conflicts was growing, especially against the background of Russia's increasing military activities in this strategically sensitive region.

The UN Sea law Convention (SRÜ) is considered a legal framework for territorial claims in the Arctic, although the United States has so far refused ratification. This leads to uncertainties in international relations in the region. The Arctic Council promotes cooperation and previous stability, but security issues often fall outside of its skills. Special dialog forums have been set up to discuss militarization and security -relevant topics in the Arctic, but without working on tangible solutions.

The geopolitical tensions increase as a whole. Climate change and military upgrading make the Arctic a hot spot in the global competition for raw materials and new trade routes. Russia consistently affirms its territorial claims and continues to invest in the upgrading and expansion of military bases in the region, while China is also striving to expand its influence and act as a "close-up" in the Arctic.