The defense minister said that the government's development programs focus on military infrastructure in the Arctic, airfield network improvements and introducing advanced technologies to facilitate logistics for the troops.
"The implementation of key federal programs could successfully solve systemic problems associated with utilizing weapons and military equipment, creating infrastructure for the Black Sea Fleet and improving the efficiency of Russia’s air space control," Shoigu said.
The Arctic is believed to have vast untapped reserves of oil and gas. Five of the Arctic Circle countries, namely the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway, and Denmark, are particularly interested in exploring these reserves.
Russia regards the development of its Arctic regions to be a top priority.
