Last week, reports emerged that a new Kremlin policy will require all international naval ships to give Russia 45 days’ notice before entering the Northern Sea Route, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via the Arctic waters north of Siberia. Every vessel on the route, where Russia has invested heavily in sophisticated military infrastructure, will also be required to have a Russian maritime pilot on board. Ships found in violation of these restrictions may be forcibly halted, detained, or—in unspecified “extreme” circumstances—“eliminated.”
For quite some time it was obvious this was coming. I guess Russia doesn't want China to have all the glory that comes from claiming the South China Sea (well, technically about 80% of it).
It is long overdue that we set up POLARCOM to contest threats in this region (and I link to my 2008 post saying we should do this).
Or maybe NORADSANTA is about to get some heavier firepower?
And maybe Canada could get serious about their defense budget and posture. The Russian threat to NATO isn't just in Europe. And politeness doesn't count for much in Moscow.
