Self-sufficient Russian military force to be formed in Arctic by 2018 — Defense Ministry

MOSCOW, April 1. /TASS/. A self-sufficient military force will be formed in Russia’s sector of the Arctic by 2018, a senior source at the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"The Russian military group in the Arctic will be built up on the mainland and on the islands," the official told the media. "This build-up is already in progress. By 2018 there will emerge a self-sufficient group incorporating radio reconnaissance companies, the way it was in the past. Within the combined Air Force and Air Defense Army, being formed in addition to the 1st air defense division there will be created one more air defense division and also other units, including air and space defense forces."

"The Air Force and Air Defense Army will be armed with both combat and transport aircraft," the source said.

The integrated strategic command went operational in the Russian sector of the Arctic starting from December 1, 2014. As the chief of the General Staff, General of the Army Valery Gerasimov, said earlier, the strategic command would have an Air Force and Air Defense Army subordinate to it. A special training center will be created in the Arctic.