Arctic missiles: how Russia is turning the world's north into a military base

Photo AR

Yuriy Izhenko

While Ukrainians are watching Russia not withdraw troops from our borders, Europeans and Americans are worried about the Arctic. And it's also about Russia.

We explain why the Kremlin draws troops to the North and what oil, Ukraine, and sneakers made in China have to do with it.

In the "warmest" months, the average temperature here is +10 degrees, the snow may melt in June, and in winter, there's a polar night without sun. It would seem that with such peculiarities, the Arctic can only interest scientists and environmentalists, but not generals and presidents.

However, in recent months, Western journalists and officials from the United Kingdom, NATO, and the United States have regularly stated that Russia (and sometimes China) is claiming control of the region.