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Russian official warns US challenging Moscow’s Arctic rights

Mikhail Popov pointed out that the US envisaged the expansion of its military presence by deploying US guided-missile destroyers in the Barents Sea, constructing three new icebreakers by 2027, creating new facilities and naval bases, as well as setting up an 'Arctic division'"

MOSCOW, February 16. /TASS/. The United States is expanding its military presence in the Arctic and it is seeking to challenge Russia’s rights in this region, Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Mikhail Popov said in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta on Wednesday.

"In the Arctic, the US seeks to challenge Russia’s legitimate rights, and get unfettered access to the region’s resources and to the Northern Sea Route. Based on this, over the past two years, Arctic strategies have been adopted by the US Departments of Defense, Army, Air Force, and Navy," he stated.

Deputy Secretary of Russia’s Security Council Popov pointed out that "on the Arctic track, the US envisages the expansion of its military presence by deploying US guided-missile destroyers in the Barents Sea, constructing three new icebreakers by 2027, creating new facilities and naval bases, as well as setting up ‘an Arctic division’ in the future".

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