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ST. PETERSBURG, December 8. /TASS/. In 2015, Russia has activated and deployed to the Arctic two separate S-400 Triumph air defense (AD) missile regiments, a source in the Russian General Staff told TASS on Tuesday.
"Two S-400 regiments have been activated and deployed to the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago and the city of Tiksi in Yakutia this year under the program on reinforcing the 2014-formed Arctic force, with the program dubbed Northern Fleet - Unified Strategic Command," the officer told TASS during the 5th Arctic - Today and Tomorrow International Forum.
According to the source, Pantsir-S AD missile/gun system batteries have been deployed along with the S-400 regiments to provide close-in defense for the S-400s. In addition, a Bastion (SSC-5) coastal defense missile battalion has been deployed to Novaya Zemlya to defend against sea-to-shore attacks. "The units are on alert round the clock," the source stressed.
He said the coastal defense missile, AD missile and AD missile/gun units have also been deployed and placed on alert duty on all other Arctic islands and in some areas on Russia’s Arctic mainland, with some elements having been stationed in Kotelny and Wrangel islands since November last year. "Aircraft control posts and radio-technical, radar and space surveillance unit positions have been established in all of their stations along the Northern Sea Route from the Kola Peninsula and Novaya Zemlya to Anadyr and Cape Schmidt in the east. All of them are on alert duty," the source added.
Protection of Arctic frontiers has been included in the list of the Russian Armed Force’s tasks since 2014. Russia has also established a united strategic command for the North.
Head of the National Defense Control Center Mikhail Mizintsev has said Russia will build 13 aerodromes, one aviation training range and 10 technical positions of radar units and aviation guidance points in the Arctic.
The Russian Defense Ministry has formed military groupings on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, the Frantz Joseph Land Islands, the New Siberian archipelago, Wrangel Island and Cape Schmidt and has started to create seven aerodromes in Yakutia, Taimyr and Chukotka.
The army groupings have received the status of the fifth military district in Russia whose area of responsibility also includes the Northern Pole.
Russia is set to build six military cantonments in the Arctic along the western part of the Northern Sea Route. The projects are under way on the Alexander Land Island, the village of Rogachyovo on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, the Sredny Island on the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, Cape Schmidt and the Wrangel Island in Chukotka and on the Kotelny Island on the New Siberian archipelago.
A total of 57,700 tons of construction materials were delivered to these areas in the first half of this year and another 24,200 tons are ready for dispatch.
The Russian Arctic is protected by the advanced S-400 air defense missile system and the Pantsir-S1 missile and gun complexes. Deputy Commander of the 1st air defense division Sergey Denisov has said a radar unit has been deployed in the village of Rogachyovo on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and an antiaircraft missile regiment will be established there. A radar unit will also be deployed on Sredny Island.