With the northwards territorial extension these figures are nearly sure to surge, as additional hydrocarbon, ore and other mineral fields locked in the Arctic seabed are very probable. Despite promising offshore and costal mineral deposits, Russia will depend on foreign cooperation regarding the high-tech know-how in exploitation under harsh Arctic conditions. (E.g. Russian state-holdings of Gazprom and Rosneft are already planning joint exploration sites, like Shtokman field, with the Norwegian StatoilHydro and French Total.) Visibly demonstrating the capability to patrol, secure and defend its territory has also high priority for the Kremlin’s policy–makers. Therefore, the Federation (like some other Arctic states) has been lately allocating considerable funds into the development and construction of new (generation of ) ice breakers, submarines and polar patrol ships. To better monitor the vast area, the government has recently ordered three additional nuclear ice breakers to the already large and well-equipped fleet. Clearly, Russia has increased its military budget and has retaken its assertive patrolling activities by water and air – the largest ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union. SPECIAL REPORTS 20
One of the geographic handicaps that Russia has suffered throughout its history was impossibility to connect its 5 fleets: the Baltic, Northern, Pacific, Black Sea and Caspian. As its military establishment well knew that who rules the oceans rules the world, ever since the Peter the Great, Russia has pressed westwards and southwards in a desperate attempt to connect its fleets: the warmseas quest. It was the same reason which drove the Soviet Russia into the development of impressive submarine fleets. Suddenly and rather unexpectedly, the opportunity to connect may arise in the rapidly melting north.