confrontation

The struggle for the Arctic may not be as obvious as for other spheres of geopolitical influence. Nevertheless, it is taking place and, with the EWS in Ukraine, Russia's confrontation with other countries bordering the Arctic is only increasing. In most cases, Moscow's sovereign stance spurs Western countries to militarise the region, and there are calls for greater control and access to resources. Not least are global security issues, as launching missiles from the North Pole area would allow for faster reaching the impact point and therefore greater chances of penetrating the enemy's air defence system. During the Cold War era, the Arctic was used by both the USSR and the US as a potential nuclear launch area.

The crisis between Ukraine and Russia is enriched by a new war front: the Sea of Azov.