Defense and Security Issues in the Arctic in the Context of the Ukrainian Crisis

Currently, the Arctic region is experiencing a political crisis associated with a sharp limitation of the Arctic Council activities. The complex geopolitical situation was initiated unilaterally by the states of the collective West, which consistently led to a new strategic confrontation between Russia and NATO. The article analyses the main trends and activities of the members of the North Atlantic Alliance in the Arctic, which directly indicate the formation of policies and tools to contain Russia in the region. The author emphasises that Sweden and Finland's NATO accession increases tension, creates challenges and threats to the Russian national security in the light of the international military development. The consistent growth in the activity and presence of NATO in the region after the start of the special military operation (SMO/SVO) is traced and detailed. It is stated that the potential opportunities for Russia-NATO dialogue in the Arctic are decreasing. The article examines the Russian Federation's response measures to strengthen national security in the region. The author makes a conclusion that there is the need for improvement a comprehensive system for monitoring the situation in the Arctic in order to negate the possibility of incorrect interpretation of military activity in the context of the current phase of crisis. It is indicated that the further affairs in the Arctic are closely dependent on the results of the SMO.