In an E-mail to The Foreigner, a press spokesman for the Norwegian Ministry of Defence writes "We are informed about the plans for the establishment of an Arctic brigade, close to the Norwegian border. We do not know when the brigade will be established and operational. We will follow the progress of the Russian forces close to Norway."
Soldiers attached to the new Russian mobile brigade are expected to be ready for combat later this year. They will be expected to be taking part in special Arctic warfare training in the base located on the Kola Peninsula, approximately ten kilometers away from the Norwegian border. The move is part of a larger military plan designed to defend its oil and gas interests in the region. Similar actions have also beeen undertaken by the US and Canada. The Arctic contains as much as a fourth of the world's hydrocarbon reserves, and US experts predict global warming could leave the area ice-free as early as 2030.
The Kola Peninsula is located in the far northwest of Russia, almost completely to the north of the Arctic circle. Earlier populated by Sami who engaged mostly in fishing and deer-herding, the territory was later lost in wars and settled by victorious Russians. Closeness to the gulf-stream leads to unusually high temperatures in winter resulting in the area being an important sea-base. Murmansk, in the area, was a significant submarine production center and remains home to the Russian Northern Fleet. Today, the Kola Peninsula is the most industrially-developed and urbanized region in Russia.Due to earlier actions by US and Canada to protect future sites of fuel deposits, Russia has decided to extend their interest in the area "to balance the situation."
The new unit, potentially numbering up to 8,000 troops will add to the existing 20th Russian Motorized Infantry in the area.
----The Russians are coming!----
Huh...interesting.
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