The Russian Federation Navy: An Assessment of its Strategic ...

This region has strategic importance for our country and that its developmenthas a direct bearing on our efforts to implement our long-term nationaldevelopment goals and make our country competitive on global markets...Ourbiggest task now is to turn the Arctic into Russia’s resource base for the twentyfirstcentury. Reaching this goal requires us first to resolve a whole number ofspecific issues. The main issue is that of reliably protecting our national interestsin the region. 289It is reported that the forthcoming revised Maritime Doctrine will highlight the Arctic and theRussian Navy as the principal actor for ensuring Russia’s interests in the region. 290 Thishighlights a key point. If the Arctic is a core Russian national interest, and a Navy-ledmaritime strategy the primary means of ensuring the security of Russian interests in theArctic, Russian national strategy in the twenty-first century will be to a notable extent, basedon maritime interests. This is further indicated by the significant increase in the share of thestrategic deterrent contributed by the naval strategic nuclear forces; up from the current 560warheads to 1008 by circa 2020. This points to an increasing prominence of the RussianNavy within Russian military and grand strategy. It also highlights the evolving nature of theRussian Armed Forces and one which is emphasised within the military modernisationprogramme; that is, a shift from being a predominantly land-centric force with supportingnaval and air arms to a balanced air, naval and land force capable of protecting Russianinterests globally.The ambition underpinning the long-term vision for the Russian Navy is its development intoa global naval force and the recognition of Russia as a great maritime power. It will require aconsiderable investment in financial and human resources and time but it is based on acoherent and well-articulated conceptual foundation. It will remain to be seen whether thegrandiose vision of the future Russian Navy will be realised but the prospects for Russianseapower do appear positive.289 President Dmitri Medvedev, ‘Speech at Meeting of the Russian Security Council on Protecting Russia’sNational Interests in the Arctic’, 17 September 2008,http://archive.kremlin.ru/eng/text/speeches/2008/09/17/1945_type82912type82913_206564.shtml.290 ‘New Russian Maritime Strategy highlights Arctic’, Barents Observer, 5 February 2009,http://www.barentsobserver.com/index.php?id=4554994&cat=16175.35