Vanguard Magazine

26 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019 www.vanguardcanada.com arCtiC The Yamal liquid natural gas plant. Photo: the GAC Group. Sovcomflot's ice-class LNG carrier, Christophe de Margerie. Photo: PAO Sovcomflot is granted control over them. But interna- tional straits, such as the Bering Strait, are specifically not included in exclusive eco- nomic zones. And the UNCLOS guaran- tees freedom of navigation through them. Contrary to the international laws, Rus- sia insists that its Northern Sea Route (NSR) includes the Bering Strait and says its new rules apply to this sea gate. "In- deed, the NSR passes not only within Russia's territorial waters, nevertheless, our country has the legal right to regulate navigation along the entire route," Kamil Bekyashev, vice president of the Russian Maritime Law Association, said in March. This is an illegal policy. Given the rising threat from Russia, the American com- mander of NORAD in March this year called on U.S. and Canadian policy makers to consider whether they're doing enough to counter Russian threats in the far North. "We haven't seen this sort of sys- tematic and methodical increase in threats since the height of the Cold War," said Air Force Gen. Terrence O'Shaughnessy. Due to the ever widening "icebreaker gap" between Russia and the rest of the world, Canada, the U.S. and the rest of the Arctic nations are poorly positioned to challenge Russia's tightening grip on the Arctic. Largest icebreakers Fleet With 46 vessels, including six nuclear- powered models, Russia already has the world's largest fleet of icebreakers by far. A distant second place, with 10 ships, goes to Finland. Canada has seven, as does Swe- den. The United States has five, none of which are nuclear. The number of icebreaker ships alone doesn't tell the whole story. Only Russia, Canada and the U.S. operate "heavy" ice- breakers, which have increased power and can break through thicker ice packs. But here again, Russia has a major advantage with two operational heavy icebreakers and four more in refit. Canada and the U.S., meanwhile, have just one each, the 50-year-old CCG Louis St. Laurent and the 42-year-old USCGC Polar Star, of which the latter also operates in Antarctica, on the other side of the globe. Russia's heavy icebreakers are not only considerably newer than Louis St. Laurent and Polar Star, but they also remain in the Arctic year-round. And Putin says that by 2035, Russia will have 13 heavy icebreak- ers, including nine nuclear-powered behe- moths. In addition to the 15 new Arc7s now coming online, Russia is also near launch- ing the Arktika-class (LK-60Ya/Pr. 22220) of heavy nuclear icebreakers. These 33,000- ton vessels will undergo sea trials at the end of this year. Also, in the works for Russia is the nuclear-powered Lider-class (LK- 110Ya/Pr. 10510) icebreaker, which will weigh in at about 71,000 tons, making it the world's heaviest icebreaker many times over. CCGS Louis St. Laurent, in compari- son, displaces just over 11,000 tons. Military Matters In the last few years, Russia has also rushed to revive many abandoned Soviet military bases in the Arctic. Thanks in large part to its fleet of icebreakers, the Russians have revamped airstrips and radar facilities on numerous islands, established four new Arctic brigade command units, opened 16 deep-water ports, built new air and radar bases, and have deployed anti-ship and ground-to-air missile systems to the area. Later this summer, the Russian military will hold large-scale drills in the Arctic ar- chipelagos of the New Siberian Islands and Novaya Zemlya. "The modernization of Arctic forces and of Arctic military infrastructure is taking place at an unprecedented pace not seen even in Soviet times," Mikhail Barabanov, editor in chief of Moscow Defense Brief, told Reuters. With these bases and surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, Russia can guard its en- ergy claims in the region and enforce its new rules for the Northern Sea Route. the Battle for the Arctic The battle for the Arctic is raging on. The United States, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia and China are all trying to take control or grow their ter- ritorial claim in the region. It begs the question, what is Canada doing to keep its stake in the Arctic? Liberal John McKay, the Canadian co- chair of the Permanent Joint Board on De- fence with the U.S. in speaking with CBC Radio in April, said that he fears Canada isn't ready to defend its territory as the threat from Russia slowly expands. This was reiterated a few days later through a House of Commons commit- tee report, which stated, "Russia has been rebuilding and modernizing its military ca- pabilities and has demonstrated a willing- ness to challenge the international rules- based order." Given the growing threat, David Yurdi- ga, Conservative MP for Fort McMurray– Cold Lake Alberta, who just attended the International Arctic Forum held in St. Pe- tersburg, Russia, speaking with The Post Millennial said Canada needs to develop better infrastructure in the Arctic and have a permanent military base there. These el- ements, along with a modern fleet of ice- breakers, will help Canada keep its sover- eignty in the Arctic, grow its navigational output and increase trade in the region. As the struggle for the Arctic continues, maintaining a strong presence in the re- gion will help Canada and other nations to stand as a formidable counter against Russian encroachment. This will act as a deterrent to Russia's aggression in staking a greater claim over the North.

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