MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A UN commission will review Russia’s request to extend its continental shelf in the Arctic in February 2016, Russian Natural Resource Minister Sergei Donskoi said Thursday.
"The review is planned for February 2016 in the UN. I plan to personally attend the presentation of the request. I hope that we’ll be able to complete all of the necessary actions so that the request is approved," Donskoi told journalists.
In August, Russia initiated a request to the UN on extending the borders of its continental shelf in the Arctic after showing that the Lomonosov Ridge and other geological regions was an extension of its maritime borders.
In December 2014, Russia unveiled a revised military doctrine that prioritizes the protection of national interests in the Arctic. Russia has increased its presence in its Far North, a large area believed to hold huge oil and natural gas deposits, establishing a new Arctic command and expanding its icebreaker fleet.
According to a special report by the Emergencies Ministry, the total value of the minerals concentrated in Russia's Arctic region exceeds $30 trillion. The ministry experts predict that Russian oil and gas production will be mainly concentrated in the Arctic sea shelves in the future.
