The foundations of Russia’s state policy in the Arctic constitute a strategic planning document aimed at ensuring national security and have been drafted to protect the country’s national interests.
Russia’s main national interests in the Arctic are as follows: to ensure Russia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; preserve the Arctic as a territory of peace and stable mutually beneficial partnership; guarantee high living standards and prosperity for the population of the Russian Arctic; develop the Russian Arctic as a strategic resource base and use it rationally to speed up national economic growth; develop the Northern Sea Route as a globally competitive national transport corridor; and to protect the Arctic environment, the primordial homeland and the traditional way of life of the indigenous minorities in the Russian Arctic.
The document establishes the goals, main areas, tasks and mechanisms of implementing Russia’s state policy in the Arctic.
In addition, the document lists the main challenges in ensuring national security in the Arctic.