WASHINGTON, February 10. /TASS/. Russia and China’s development of their infrastructure in the Arctic region may create a potential threat for North America, US Navy Admiral Daryl Caudle said.
The admiral said during a conference at the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson Center that Russia had seriously boosted its defense capabilities in the Arctic in the past decade, while China is trying to increase its influence in the region, including with the help of the Polar Silk Road initiative to connect China and Europe via the Arctic.
"They're expanding and developing the region's infrastructure and increasing ability to place North America at risk," Caudle said.
He also claimed that Russia and China were "trying to militarize the Arctic" and "intend to infringe upon the freedom of navigation in the Northern Sea Route."
In this regard, the United States and its allies increased the number of military exercises in Northern Atlantic and intensified their work to defend North America.
Chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov said earlier Washington and its allies have been intensifying confrontation with Russia in the Arctic. They question Moscow's rights to the Northern Sea Route, which is "one of the main challenges to security in the region.".