| As the United States moves to make its mark in the Arctic, one Democratic senator is now claiming that Russia has made an unbelievable commitment to increasing its military presence in the region to the highest it has been since the Cold War. |
| With the Arctic region warming at an alarming and unprecedented rate, U.S. officials are claiming that “this is America’s moment to stand up” to competition in the area and, as usual, they are warning against involvement from Russia. |
| In fact, one Democratic senator is claiming that Russia is pouring more military effort and money into the region than it has at any point since the Cold War. And he insisted that it’s time for the US to start acting now before it is overtaken by other world powers. |
| “They’re spending more money there than they are in entire social services for Russia. It’s unbelievable the commitment they’ve made. We’ve seen more activity of aircraft flying in those spaces. We’ve seen submarine activity from Russia, more so than we have during the Cold War,” Sen. Joe Manchin said. |
| Moscow has repeatedly denied claims from the Trump Administration that it is conducting low-yield nuclear tests in the Arctic, and officials have argued that while they are not preparing for an attack, they do have a right to defend their country. |
| Russia’s Foreign Minister previously said, “We don’t threaten anyone. We ensure sufficient defense capabilities given the political and military situation around our borders.” |
| But repeated warnings from U.S. officials that countries like Russia and China should refrain from any “aggressive” actions in the region have raised concerns. |
| Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said that the world is entering “a new age of strategic engagement in the Arctic, complete with new threats to the region’s interests and its real estate.” |
| He also claimed that the rapidly melting ice, which has resulted from the warmest temperatures in the region since 1900, should be viewed positively because it “opens up new shipping routes.” |
| While the United States refers to the Arctic’s untapped oil and rare earth minerals as a land of “opportunity and abundance,” there is concern that it could also be the scene of a fight for control, if the U.S. continues to threaten Russia and China. |
Rachel Blevins 