Noorulain Shaikh graduated with an LLB (Hons.) degree from the University of London. She is keen on geographical, sociopolitical, and legal aspects of world affairs. She is a published author of articles concerning international law and regional policy affairs.

2024 shed light on the most important geopolitical issues in the world, and the developments are not yet over. As the first anniversary of Israel’s war of aggression against Hamas and the civilians in Palestine approached on 7th October and the NATO-Russian confrontation continued, the rising temperatures of the planet have generated another opportunity for global superpowers to fight over—the Arctic.

Situated at the North Pole, the region is suffering from global warming the most, and at alarming rates. However, not only has the region dominated discourses concerning global warming and climate change, but it is also the next big opportunity for countries like Russia, the US, and China to cement themselves as global leaders.

The scramble began with Russia’s silent military expansion along its Arctic coastline in 2005, which created concerns for NATO and its allies, particularly those sharing the Arctic coastline with Russia. This left them no option but to take steps to strengthen their position in the region, notwithstanding China’s policies aimed at global dominance. The Arctic is a region to look forward to. This article shall explore the economic, military, and environmental implications of Russia’s expansion in the area.

The Arctic is rich in natural resources like natural gas, oil, and minerals. These natural resources also make up a huge chunk of Russia’s exports. In 2021, Russia exported an estimated 4.7 million bpd (barrels per day) of crude oil to countries around the world, with most of its exports and crude oil output making up 14% of the global oil output. Most of Russia’s crude oil production happens in Siberia, and the Federation needs more production fields.

The Arctic is just the right region for Russia to get oil from, as the Federation shares a vast coastline with the Arctic and has the resources to exploit it. Notwithstanding, Russia already gets a good chunk of its oil and gas from the area, which makes up 10% of Russia’s economic input, and over 35,700 billion cubic meters of natural gas remain untapped. Russia not only plans to capture these resources first but also deprives other Western countries of benefiting from this untouched golden economic opportunity.

To accomplish its objectives, Russia is seeking local and foreign investors. In........

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