The Arctic Debrief: Russia installs anti-drone measures to protect Arctic infrastructure

In this edition:

• Russia installs anti-drone measures to protect Arctic infrastructure
• NATO allies to develop Arctic satellite network
• Russia and China look to construct year-round Arctic vessels

Latest Developments

Russia installs anti-drone measures to protect Arctic infrastructure

The Murmansk regional government, located in Russia's Northwestern Arctic, has taken measures to protect energy and heating infrastructure that could be vulnerable to an attack from aerial drones.

Throughout the year Ukraine has increased the frequency of attacks on Russia's Arctic infrastructure. Ukrainian drones have struck oil refineries, military airfields, and other facilities in Russia's Murmansk region.

In addition to "anti-drone" netting, the region has hired a private security firm Avangard to defend against drones. The firm will allegedly station units equipped with radio frequency suppressors, anti-drone guns, and drone detection systems across various key facilities.

NATO allies to develop Arctic satellite network

Multiple NATO member states have signed a letter of intent to develop a satellite network, called Northlink, to provide better coverage of the Arctic. The signatories to the letter are Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United States.

The purpose of such a project is to improve communications and navigation capabilities in the northern region. Creating such a network would allow NATO militaries to better operate maritime and aerial drones in the Arctic.

In addition to being able to observe the drones operating in the far north, it would allow to operate those drones from much further away.

Russia and China look to construct year-round Arctic vessels

As a result of an agreement signed earlier in the year between Chinese company NewNew Shipping Line and Russian state company Atomflot the two nations will look to build five vessels capable of traversing the Northern Sea Route at any time of the year.

The project aims to build ships that will be able to transport about 5,000 containers, a typical amount for the Panamax-class ships often used in global trade. The ships will be used for the "Arctic Express Route" to make deliveries between the ports of Shanghai and Ningbo with St. Petersburg and Arkhangelsk.

The Russian and Chinese governments have been working towards increasing traffic in the Northern Sea Route. In addition to a number of agreements to construct new vessels, the states are working on a number of projects to improve Arctic infrastructure such as ports and refueling stations.