MOSCOW, October 1. /TASS/. Two separate motor rifle brigades will be brought into service of Russian army grouping in the Arctic region in 2015-2016, Chief Commander of Russian Ground Troops Colonel-General Oleg Salyukov told reporters on Wednesday.

“A separate motor rifle brigade (in the Arctic region) is about to be formed in the Murmansk region. A second motor rifle brigade will be set up in the course of 2016 in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area,” he said.

Salyukov recalled that a multi-service army grouping was being created to protect Russian national interests in the Arctic region. The general noted that two Arctic motor rifle brigades that would make part of the military force, would resolve the following tasks: patrolling the offshore zone, protecting facilities and territories along the coasts of northern seas and the Arctic Ocean, ensuring navigation and convoying of ships on the northern sea route and demonstrating military presence in the Arctic.

“Arctic formations will be armed with off-road vehicles, including two-section carrier vehicles, snowmobiles, amphibian vessels. Weapons and special outfits will contribute to successful fulfilment of tasks in northern latitudes. Combat training will be provided with due account of climatic conditions,” the chief commander added.

A northern combined strategic command will be formed in the Arctic region on the basis of the Northern Fleet by the end of this year, a high-ranking source in Russian Defense Ministry told TASS earlier. “Along with the Northern Fleet and other formations transferred from the Western Military District, the northern combined strategic command will also incorporate new groupings deployed in the Arctic region, including on the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, New Siberian Islands, Franz Josef Land, and the Wrangel island,” the source added.