Russia’s Arctic Strategy

Abstract

Moscow has extremely important national interests in the Arctic region. These interests include access to, and exploitation of, the mineral and biological natural resources of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF). The region is the most prolific producer of Russian gas (95 per cent of total Russian production) and oil (approximately 70 per cent). Russian geologists have discovered some 200 oil and gas deposits in the AZRF. There are 22 large shelf deposits in the Barents and Kara seas, which are expected to be developed when oil and gas prices rise again. The AZRF is also abundant in other mineral resources. Its mining industries produce primary and placer diamond (99 per cent of total Russian production), platinum-group elements (98 per cent), nickel and cobalt (over 80 per cent), chromium and manganese (90 per cent), copper (60 per cent), antimony, tin, tungsten, rare metals (between 50 per cent and 90 per cent) and gold (about 40 per cent).