MOSCOW, November 20. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin has said that the Russian military bases in the Arctic are not aimed at militarizing the region, they are necessary for the protection of economic projects.
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"The establishment of our military bases and airfields in the macro-region [the Arctic region] is not aimed at militarizing this region, we do not have such goals. Our aim is to create conditions for economic development and protect both the existing and future infrastructure projects," he told a joint meeting of the Arctic and Antarctic Expert Council under Russia’s Federation Council and the State Commission on Arctic Development.
Rogozin noted that Russia collaborated with its partners in this work.
"Today we hear criticism from many countries over the militarization of the Russian Arctic. "This is nothing more than propaganda," he said. "If we come to the Arctic region economically and implement such global projects as the work on the Arctic shelf, the development of the Northern Sea Route, it is clear that the economy requires security," he said.
Rogozin added that they would be "enough challenges for everyone in the Arctic", which had to be met jointly. "So, there is no need for them to worry," he said.