Two Russian submarines conducted drills firing anti-ship cruise missiles in the Eastern Arctic Ocean which lies between Russia and Alaska. Russia has been promoting the area as an alternative shipping route between Europe and Asia while at the same time steadily building up a military presence. Russia’s militarization of the area has been a cause for concern among Western and Arctic countries. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the buildup presents a “strategic challenge” for NATO.
