Jonathan Beale

Yeah, I think the simple answer is oil and gas. That is, there are large reserves in the Arctic region, and that is why a lot of countries are interested. I mean, there are more basic economic reasons. Russia, I think, gets about a third of its fish from the Arctic region. And then there's the melting ice, so the disappearance of the ice

in the Northern Sea Passage, and that is opening up a potential trade route from Asia to Europe, which could be exploited. Better in some years than other years, but for example, in theory, if you were going from Asia via the Suez Canal to Europe, it would take you around 37 days. If you were able to navigate through the Northern Sea Passage, that would take you 23 days.

in the Northern Sea Passage, and that is opening up a potential trade route from Asia to Europe, which could be exploited. Better in some years than other years, but for example, in theory, if you were going from Asia via the Suez Canal to Europe, it would take you around 37 days. If you were able to navigate through the Northern Sea Passage, that would take you 23 days.

in the Northern Sea Passage, and that is opening up a potential trade route from Asia to Europe, which could be exploited. Better in some years than other years, but for example, in theory, if you were going from Asia via the Suez Canal to Europe, it would take you around 37 days. If you were able to navigate through the Northern Sea Passage, that would take you 23 days.

So that's one of the reasons possibly that countries are getting more interested is because they realise that that is a sea route. And as Tim mentioned, Russia swallows up more than half the territory of that sea route and therefore would like to control that sea route.

So that's one of the reasons possibly that countries are getting more interested is because they realise that that is a sea route. And as Tim mentioned, Russia swallows up more than half the territory of that sea route and therefore would like to control that sea route.

So that's one of the reasons possibly that countries are getting more interested is because they realise that that is a sea route. And as Tim mentioned, Russia swallows up more than half the territory of that sea route and therefore would like to control that sea route.

And we've seen what's happened in the Pacific with China and the seas around it trying to control the freedom of navigation, which is worried, particularly the US, the same worry could happen in the Arctic.

And we've seen what's happened in the Pacific with China and the seas around it trying to control the freedom of navigation, which is worried, particularly the US, the same worry could happen in the Arctic.

And we've seen what's happened in the Pacific with China and the seas around it trying to control the freedom of navigation, which is worried, particularly the US, the same worry could happen in the Arctic.

Well, I think you have to, in military terms, you have to realise how strategically important the Arctic region is to Russia. And that's mainly because they're Strategic Nuclear Bomber Fleet, their submarine fleet, their ballistic missile submarine fleet, is based in the Kola Peninsula right there at the top of the Barents Sea.

Well, I think you have to, in military terms, you have to realise how strategically important the Arctic region is to Russia. And that's mainly because they're Strategic Nuclear Bomber Fleet, their submarine fleet, their ballistic missile submarine fleet, is based in the Kola Peninsula right there at the top of the Barents Sea.

Well, I think you have to, in military terms, you have to realise how strategically important the Arctic region is to Russia. And that's mainly because they're Strategic Nuclear Bomber Fleet, their submarine fleet, their ballistic missile submarine fleet, is based in the Kola Peninsula right there at the top of the Barents Sea.

That is the submarine base they will use for patrols into the Uyghur gap. That's the gap between Greenland, Iceland and the UK. Very important to go into the Atlantic there for the Russians. And obviously tensions have increased there. So, for example...

That is the submarine base they will use for patrols into the Uyghur gap. That's the gap between Greenland, Iceland and the UK. Very important to go into the Atlantic there for the Russians. And obviously tensions have increased there. So, for example...

That is the submarine base they will use for patrols into the Uyghur gap. That's the gap between Greenland, Iceland and the UK. Very important to go into the Atlantic there for the Russians. And obviously tensions have increased there. So, for example...

You know, a couple of years ago, we had the chief of the defence staff here in the UK saying that Russian submarine activity a few years ago had increased tenfold. So it's an important part of the world for Russia, not just for its strategic fleet, but also for its weapons testing. It's tested its hypersonic missiles up in the Arctic.

You know, a couple of years ago, we had the chief of the defence staff here in the UK saying that Russian submarine activity a few years ago had increased tenfold. So it's an important part of the world for Russia, not just for its strategic fleet, but also for its weapons testing. It's tested its hypersonic missiles up in the Arctic.

You know, a couple of years ago, we had the chief of the defence staff here in the UK saying that Russian submarine activity a few years ago had increased tenfold. So it's an important part of the world for Russia, not just for its strategic fleet, but also for its weapons testing. It's tested its hypersonic missiles up in the Arctic.

It's got a number of nuclear facilities up there and it has expanded its military presence. Now, clearly, that expansion was happening at a greater pace before Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine after 2014, but before the full scale invasion. And they have, for example, at least three major bases, 13 airfields, radar stations, border outposts, right across that coast.