MOSCOW, Aug 31 (Interfax-AVN) - The Russian Armed Forces' group in the Arctic will be strengthened before the end of 2015 and a ship destroyer and air defense regiment will be added to the existing formations, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Monday.
"The work to increase the aviation and air defense group is now being done in this region. There are plans to complete the formation of a ship destroyer and an air defense regiment, an Air Force and Air Defense unit, by the end of this year," the report says.
The minister said this increase is due to the development of the northern Sea Route and the need to defend national interests in the region.