IPFS News Link • Russia
Russia Rearms for a New Era
• By CATRIN EINHORN, HANNAH FAIRFIELD and TIM WALLACRussia Is Building and
Expanding Bases in the Arctic
Russia is reinvesting in its bases in the Arctic: building new ones, expanding old ones and deploying personnel to operate them. Analysts say Russia's efforts in the Arctic are driven in part by climate change, as the country seeks to exploit and defend maritime trade routes and oil and natural gas resources in areas made more accessible by melting ice.
Its Military Budget Has
Been Growing Steadily
Russia has made big increases to its military budget, including a jump of nearly $11 billion from 2014 to 2015. According to Moscow, it is making up for years of disinvestment after the collapse of the Soviet Union. But sanctions from the Ukrainian conflict, dropping oil prices and other financial problems have weakened the Russian economy, and analysts expect military spending to slow.