EXPLORATION AND ASSIMILATION OF ARCTIC TERRITORIES BY RUSSIA

Mihai-Răzvan ILEA

doi:10.38173/RST.2020.20.2.4:41-52

EXPLORATION AND ASSIMILATION OF ARCTIC TERRITORIES BY RUSSIA

MI

Mihai-Răzvan ILEA¹

¹ Researcher of Russian Federation foreign policy, PhD Student in International Relations and European Studies, Faculty of History and Philosophy, Babeș-Bolyai University, e-mail:

Corresponding author: [email protected]

DOI https://doi.org/10.38173/RST.2020.20.2.4:41-52

Received 30 June 2020

Revised 2 September

Accepted 10 September 2020

Available Online 15 November 2020

Abstract

FOR CENTURIES, THE ARCTIC HAS BEEN A TERRITORY THAT DUE TO THE SEVERE CLIMATE HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO EXPLORE AND ASSIMILATE. HOWEVER, FOLLOWING THE EXPANSION TO THE EAST, RUSSIA MANAGED TO ENCOMPASS THE TERRITORIES OF THE NORTH OF THE EURASIAN CONTINENT. FO LLOWING THE COMPLETION OF THIS PROCESS, WHICH LASTED SEVERAL CENTURIES, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME THE ARCTIC AREA MEANT FOR THE RUSSIAN L EADERS ONLY A BUFFER ZONE FROM WHICH THEY CANNOT BE ATTACKED. IT WAS NOT UNTIL LATER THAT THE SOVIETS UNDERSTOOD THE POTENTI AL OF THIS REGION AND TRIED TO ASSIMILATE IT WITH THE HELP OF SEVERAL AUTHORITIES IN ORDER TO EXPLOIT IT. DUE TO THE VASTNESS AND CL IMATIC CONDITIONS, THE SU CCESS OF THE SOVIETS WAS LIMITED. AFTER THE FALL OF THE SOVIET UNION, THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION CONTIN UED THE SOVIET EFFORTS TO ASSIMILATE THESE TERRITORIES, MAKING THEM ONE OF THE NATIONAL PRIORITIES OF STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE. IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORT ANT THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THIS REGION ARE, THE EFFORTS OF THE RUSSIAN STATE TO ASSIMILATE AND EX PLOIT THE POLAR TERRITORIES OVER THE CENTURIES WILL BE PRESENTED AND ANALYZED.

Keywords

EXPLORATION ASSIMILATION RESOURCES ARCTIC RUSSIA

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