President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday Russia had vital defense and economic interests in the Arctic, citing a potential U.S. military threat from submarine-based missiles there.
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Putin has ordered a Soviet-era military base reopened in the Arctic as part of a drive to make the northern coast a global shipping route and secure the region's vast energy resources.
"Not only are there major economic interests for our country there...it is also an important part of our defense capability," Putin told a meeting of university students in Moscow.
"There are (U.S.) submarines there and they carry missiles," the Russian leader said. "It only takes 15-16 minutes for U.S. missiles to reach Moscow from the Barents Sea. So should we give away the Arctic? We should on the contrary explore it."
Nevertheless, Putin said Russia was unlikely to get involved in any global conflicts, particularly with the United States.
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