Russia to add 4 warships to Arctic fleet by 2020

Russia's coast guard will add four new warships to its fleet by 2020 to better protect the country's Arctic zone, the Federal Security Service (FSB) said Monday. Eleven border protection facilities would be built in the Arctic, while automated surveillance systems to be deployed in the area as part of the Russian Federation State Border Protection program for 2012-2020, the FSB press service said. Russia has officially set a goal of deploying a combined-arms force by 2020 to protect its political and economic interests in the Arctic, including military, border, and coast guard units. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said in December 2012 that Russia "risks losing its sovereignty by the mid-21st century if it does not assert its national interests in the Arctic now." Russia participates in the Arctic Council which also comprises of the United States, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. In May, the eighth Ministerial Meeting of the Arctic Council took place in Sweden. Russia will host the third international forum "Arctic the Territory of Dialogue" in September.