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American warships have entered the Barents Sea, near Russian territorial waters in the Arctic, for the first time since the 1980s, the US Navy said. USA
Four ships entered the area: three destroyers (“Donald Cook”, “Porter” and “Roosevelt”) and the supply ship “Suplay”. They are accompanied by a British warship: the frigate “Kent”.
The purpose of the maneuvers is to confirm “the freedom of navigation and show the perfect integration of the allied forces,” explained the United States Navy, quoted by dir.bg.
In these difficult times, it is more important than ever to maintain our constant rate of operations across the European scene, while taking reasonable steps to ensure that we maintain our constant rate of operations. measures to protect the health of our forcessaid Deputy Chief of Staff Lisa Franchetti, commander of the 6th United States Navy, quoted in a statement by the United States Navy.
“We remain committed to promoting regional security and stability, while building trust and strengthening the Arctic readiness base.”
The statement emphasizes that “no American (military) ship has entered the Barents Sea since the mid-1980s.”
The Russian Defense Ministry was notified of the course of the ships on May 1, “to avoid misunderstandings, reduce risks and prevent any accidental escalation,” the statement said.
Yesterday, the Secretary of Defense of the EE. The United States, Mark Esper, said that his country’s opponents remain a threat at a time when the new coronavirus pandemic restricts the movement of the US military, AFP notes.
“We are seeing an increase in China’s activity in the South China Sea. We see the Russians continuing to test our air defenses in Alaska and the northern border,” Esper said during a video conference organized by the Brookings Institution.
Donald Cook ship (foreground), British frigate Kent and American supply ship Suplay in the Barents Sea, May 3, Photo: United States Navy
What else is said in the message of the US Navy. USA
It is noted that the ships “Donald Cook”, “Porter” and “Kent” recently completed a bilateral naval exercise to counter submarines in the Norwegian Sea, and previously on a similar course in Britain.
It is noted that in the last month, the US Navy. Located in the first line, in Europe, it operates with partner countries in European seas. On April 13, Porter conducted a joint exercise with Romania on the Black Sea. After leaving the Black Sea, Porter worked with Roosevelt in the Italian Navy in the Mediterranean and in the French Fleet in the Atlantic on April 27. Before the current exercise, Donald Cook operated in the Baltic Sea, sailing separately with the Lithuanian and German navies.
British frigate Kent (left) and US supply ship Supply in the Barents Sea, May 3; Photo: USA USA Navy
It is recalled that the 6th US Army. Based in Naples, Italy, the USA conducts the full range of naval operations, often in conjunction with allies, to protect the national interests of the United States. USA., Security and stability in Europe and Africa.
Military challenges at sea and in the north
Two days ago, Reuters noted that Russia regularly conducts training flights over the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans, as well as over the Black and Baltic Seas, actions that some NATO countries perceive as useless rattle of arms.
In mid-April, the United States announced $ 12.1 million in financial aid to Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark. The objective of the aid was to strengthen ties and boost demand for mineral resources there.
The reason was the flight of two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers, capable of carrying 12 short-range missiles with a nuclear charge, which flew over neutral waters in the Baltic Sea.
The flights, which lasted eight hours, were routine, but their appearance caused the reaction of fighter jets from Finland, Denmark, Poland and Sweden, whose planes were escorted by the Russians.
Who will win the Arctic? Is the United States seeking hegemony?
Previously, the US ambassador to Denmark, Carla Sands, described Russia’s actions in the Arctic as “aggressive” and a challenge to the peaceful ambitions of the West.
The ships Kent (left) and Supply during the exercise in the Barents Sea; Photo: USA USA Navy
Last year, Washington, through Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, criticized for the first time the behavior of Russia and China towards the Arctic. And the United States has begun to pay more and more attention to the Arctic, reaching its climax (for now) with President Donald Trump’s proposal to buy Greenland from Denmark.
In response, the Russian ambassador to Denmark accused the United States in late April of provoking an Arctic confrontation to achieve hegemony in a region where Moscow has invested heavily.
“Instead of dialogue and cooperation, the United States now relies heavily on a confrontational policy in the region, hoping to achieve hegemony in this part of the world.” Ambassador Vladimir Barbin told the Danish newspaper Politiken.
“There is a markedly bad attitude towards large-scale investment projects in other countries, and various conspiracy theories and assumptions about economic actions in the Arctic in other countries are being launched.”Barbin said.
What are the interests in the area, not just the military?
Russia has ambitious plans to build so-called ports. A northern shipping route that will shorten the distance between China and Europe and strengthen its military presence in the northern Arctic.
China, meanwhile, is also promoting Arctic infrastructure projects as part of the Silk Road. Washington, a close ally of Denmark, blocked a proposal by Chinese companies to participate in the expansion of three airports in Greenland.
Greenland is of strategic importance to the US Army. USA And its early warning system for ballistic missile attacks, as the shortest route from Europe to North America passes through the great northern island.
But Russia is losing land there
The annual rate of land loss due to waves, wind and permafrost melt is up to ten meters off the coast of the Arctic Ocean, and the area lost is comparable to that of Liechtenstein, TASS recently reported, citing data released by the press service. from the Faculty of Geography of the Moscow State University.
“The coasts of the Arctic Ocean, subjected to thermobrasion, are collapsing at a rate of one to five meters per year, and in some cases up to ten meters. As a result, Russia loses several hundred square kilometers of territory each year.” they are comparable in size to the size of a small European country like the Principality of Liechtenstein, “said Stanislav Ogorodov, head of the University’s Laboratory of Northern Geoecology.
Gas versus nature: whatever the choice
Oil and gas production on the Russian peninsula of Yamal in the Far East, which involves drilling hundreds of wells and moving dozens of trains and tankers, is polluting the environment and harming the health of reindeer, according to Local pastors reported, Reuters recently reported.
It is becoming increasingly difficult for local herds to avoid gas fields, as the infrastructure needed to produce hydrocarbons is slowly making its way in the region, 2,000 km northeast of Moscow. The industry is fueled by tax exemptions adopted in March as part of Russia’s new Arctic development strategy.
The Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, and it is snowing more and more in the region. When temperatures drop below freezing, the water freezes and forms an almost impenetrable layer of ice on the lichens that deer feed on in winter. As a result, in the winter of 2013-2014, the largest such weather event killed over 61,000 animals.
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