MOSCOW. Feb 16 (Interfax) - The United States is bolstering its military activity in the Arctic and is planning to deploy guided-missile destroyers and an Arctic division, Russian Security Council Deputy Secretary Mikhail Popov said.
"In the Arctic theater, the U.S. is planning to expand its military presence through deploying American guided-missile destroyers in the Barents Sea, building three new heavy icebreakers by 2027, and setting up new naval facilities and bases, as well as an Arctic division in the more distant future," Popov said in an interview published in Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
"The U.S. is seeking to challenge Russia's legitimate rights in the Arctic and gain unhindered access to the region's resources and the Northern Sea Route. Proceeding from this, the Defense Department, the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy have adopted Arctic strategies in the past two years," he said.