Russian Army Trains for Arctic Combat to Defend Resource Claim

Russia's military is training its forces for combat in the Arctic to protect its claims to resources on the continental shelf."After the heads of several countries disputed Russia's rights to the resource-rich Arctic Ocean shelf,'' the military"immediately'' began adapting its training plans for units" that might be called upon to fight in the Arctic,'' Lieutenant General Vladimir Shamanov said in an interview published today in Krasnaya Zvezda, or Red Star, the army's newspaper. The Arctic shelf may hold 10 billion tons of oil equivalent, as well as gold, nickel and diamonds, according to the Russian government, which sent a mini-submarine to plant a flag beneath the polar cap in August. Danish Science Minister Helge Sander called the move"a joke,'' while Canada responded by saying it would move troops to its north to assert Arctic sovereignty. Shamanov, head of training for the military, said special preparation for Russian troops is needed because"modern wars are won and lost long before they start.'' The U.S. recently held a 12-day military exercise in Alaska called Northern Edge 2008 with 5,000 troops after contesting Russia's polar claim. Russian military trainers"can't ignore such facts,'' he said. The U.S., Russia, Canada, Norway and Denmark, the countries bordering the Arctic Ocean, pledged at a meeting in Greenland last month to honor international law and work to reduce tension as they all seek ownership of natural resources in the area.
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