THE ARCTIC IN 2024: INTERNATIONAL AND RUSSIAN ASPECTS

The Arctic in 2024 was under the close attention of the world community. The article analyses the international problems of the Arctic, Norway’s chairmanship in the Arctic Council (AC), as well as events that have influenced the policies of Russia and the countries of the Baltic-Scandinavian macroregion in the Arctic. Foreign states continue to increase their military presence in the western part of the Arctic. The situation was complicated by the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, which contributed to strengthening of their military infrastructure and created threats to Russia. The confrontational position of the West has also had an extremely negative impact on northern international cooperation, which previously traditionally remained a territory of peace and cooperation, a zone of low tension, outside the political environment. The author analyses the complex problems of the Russian Arctic development related to the functioning and further development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and some subjects of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation based on the activities of the President of the Russian Federation, the Government of Russia, ministries and departments, representatives of business and public organisations during this period. The article focuses on solving the problems of northern importation, the definition of «Arctic backbone cities», indigenous peoples of the North, Arctic science, import substitution, technologies and equipment for exploration, production and transportation of minerals in the Arctic. It is noted that the real influence of foreign countries on the Arctic region can only be determined by the results of a special military operation (SMO).