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Severomorsk, situated in the Barents Sea, serves as the strategic base for the Russian navy’s Northern Fleet. Notably, since 2014, when Russia initiated its invasion of eastern Ukraine, the port has assumed a pivotal role as the primary administrative centre for all of Russia’s military operations in the Arctic region.
Amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Russia has been noticeably intensifying its military presence in the region. Over the last six years, the country has been actively constructing 475 military facilities along its northern border. The Kola peninsula and the Barents Sea archipelagos have witnessed the establishment of numerous new airstrips, bunkers and bases, reflecting Russia’s expanding military activities in this area.
Despite the region’s historical significance as a vital commercial and military hub for Russia, the Barents Sea’s deep waters boast exceptional biodiversity, standing out as one of the most diverse ecosystems in the Arctic. It serves as a habitat for various species, including puffins, dolphins, seals and the rare bowhead whales. Moreover, the area hosts thriving populations of some of the world’s largest fish species. On the southern side, the Kola peninsula remains home to herds of wild reindeer, while its eastern rivers remain untouched by hydroelectric dams, preserving them as crucial spawning grounds for Atlantic salmon – a rarity in today’s world.
The remarkable escalation in military activities has raised serious concerns among experts regarding the potential devastating impact on the delicate Arctic ecosystems. The region is already grappling with being one of the most polluted areas on the planet. The presence of warm water currents flowing from the Atlantic Ocean into the Barents Sea has created a significant marine garbage patch, adding to the global crisis of plastic pollution in the oceans. Moreover, decades of Soviet nuclear testing, improper disposal of radioactive waste and industrial pollution have resulted in highly toxic waterways, posing significant health risks to the local population and contributing to elevated rates of diseases in the area.
The recent military buildup has led to a surge in weapons testing and marine activities, including the deployment of new and upgraded nuclear-powered icebreakers and submarines, thereby raising concerns about the potential risk of nuclear accidents in the region.
However, the impact on the Barents Sea ecosystem is not solely limited to military activities. Russia’s involvement in the conflict in Ukraine has caused it to become more isolated from the western economy. As a result, Russia has intensified its efforts to open the region to commercial ventures.
In April, following the suspension of western nations’ participation in the Arctic Coast Guard Forum, which was previously chaired by Russia, Russia signed a cooperation agreement with the Chinese coast guard. This agreement involves conducting joint exercises to enhance surveillance and law enforcement along Russia’s northern coastline. The move has been widely interpreted as an effort to support China’s long standing aspirations of positioning itself as a “near-Arctic state.” By doing so, China aims to secure increased access to commercial opportunities and valuable mineral resources in the Arctic region.
The collaboration between Russia and China in the Arctic has drawn attention and raised concerns among other nations with interests in the area. As the Arctic continues to gain geopolitical significance and becomes more accessible due to melting ice, the actions of these two countries could have far-reaching implications for the region’s economic and environmental landscape.
Russia’s northern sea route, which offers a shortcut for shipping goods between Europe and Asia, has been viewed as an attractive option due to the significant time savings it offers. However, it remains an unreliable and challenging route. The increased shipping activity in the Arctic region brings with it various environmental concerns. Higher shipping volumes contribute to elevated concentrations of ozone and nitrate aerosols, which pose significant health risks to human populations.
Moreover, the release of nitrogen and sulphur deposits from shipping emissions could have devastating effects on marine ecosystems, impacting the delicate balance of the Barents Sea in particular. This concern is exacerbated by the fact that the Barents Sea is already experiencing rapid warming, making it potentially one of the fastest-warming locations on Earth.
Experts say Russia’s increasing dependence on China is likely to increase traffic on the route, and the sailing of ships that are not up to date or equipped for the Arctic Ocean could impact the environment negatively. With oil and resources being transferred by countries that are trading with Russia, there is the likelihood of oil pollution and other accidents occurring in the sea.
Areas once set aside as nature reserves – such as the Lake Seidozero region, a sacred Sami site – are also being opened to industry, according to Andrei Danilov, another Russian Sami activist in exile. Northern nature, vulnerable to these military measures, could be destroyed without hope of it ever being restored, experts say.
Relations with the west, experts say, have been key to preventing these kinds of ecological abuses in the Russian Arctic. Russia had recently started to invest heavily in Atlantic salmon farming, near important spawning sites across the border in Norway. Diseases could arise from food that is not monitored by protocols put in place by the west. Likewise, Norway was one of the only countries investing in cleaning up the sea’s nuclear waste, toxic remnants of the Cold War.
Unfortunately, if there is environmental destruction, it will be harder than ever for the rest of the world to know about it. Environmental organisations, including Greenpeace and WWF, have been outlawed in Russia, and collaborations on Arctic climate monitoring have almost entirely stopped. Western concern regarding the environment was critical, but now environmental protection is no longer a priority.
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