MOSCOW, August 26. /TASS/. Russia’s Defense Ministry is developing military infrastructure in the Arctic to provide for the effective operation of troops stationed in the region, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Thursday.

"The Defense Ministry attaches priority attention to strengthening the country’s defense capability in the Arctic region. Most of the tasks for addressing this issue have been assigned to the Northern Fleet," the defense chief said at a meeting with military commanders.

Work is underway "to develop military infrastructure that enables the troops stationed in that area to operate efficiently," Shoigu stressed.

"Administrative and residential compounds have been built on Arctic Ocean Islands and the system of stationing in the Arctic is being improved. The comfortable conditions created for the military personnel’s service and everyday life are under special control," the defense chief said.

There are plans to finish the construction of a residential compound of eight buildings comprised of 486 apartments in the town of Gadzhiyevo, Shoigu informed. "Therefore, the issue of providing accommodation to the garrison’s submariners will be fully resolved," Shoigu said.

"The construction of the Temp airfield on the New Siberian Islands archipelago is nearing completion. A cantonment for the third air defense division is being built in the settlement of Tiksi in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)," the defense chief said.

Overall, there are plans to build 147 buildings and structures for the Russian Northern Fleet this year, Shoigu specified. "So far, 64 facilities have been put into operation," the defense minister said, noting that the world’s northernmost rooftop 25-meter swimming pool had been built on Alexandra Land Island in the Arctic.