Russia will increase its submarine task force in the area around the Northern Sea Route, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
"We will, of course, be building up our [submarine] task force, ensuring the country's security in the northern region," he said.
New submarines are entering service with the Russian Navy, he said, adding that the Northern Sea Route is one of Russia's priority transport lanes.
“We will be setting up a network of support bases along the entire Northern Sea Route where Emergency Ministry officers will be deployed to respond promptly and efficiently to any unexpected developments along the Northern Sea Route,” Putin said.
The Northern Sea Route is a shipping lane from the Atlantic to the Pacific running along the Russian Arctic coast from Murmansk on the Barents Sea, along Siberia, to the Bering Strait and Far East.
