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Russia’s first military logistics node in Arctic to be commissioned 2015 — fleet commander

Large-scale construction of various infrastructure facilities is underway on a number of Artic islands

MOSCOW, June 1. /TASS/. Russia’s first infrastructural military logistics complex in the Arctic, conceived as part of a comprehensive system for enhancing security in the Arctic Region, will go operational later this year, the Northern Fleet’s commander, Vladimir Korolyov said. The closed-cycle administrative and residential compound called Severny Klever (Northern Clover) is currently under construction on Kotelny Island - the largest in the Novosibirsk Islands archipelago.

"At the moment large-scale construction of various infrastructure facilities is underway on a number of Artic islands. Another compound similar to the Severny Klever outpost is under construction on Alexandra Land, one of the Franz Joseph Land islands. Infrastructures are being actively created in Rogachyovo Island, the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago. Preparations are underway for construction work on one of the Severnaya Zemlya islands.

"Providing comfortable conditions for our military personnel in the Arctic units features highly on the list of tasks to be addressed in creating Arctic infrastructures," Korolyov said.

At the end of 2014 Russia formed a combined strategic command on the basis of the Northern Fleet. Situation monitoring and air defense units have already entered combat duty on some of the islands. The Defense Ministry has declared plans for building up its military group in the Chukchi Peninsula with the aim to maintain security of the Northern Sea Route and repel likely threats in the Arctic.