Northbound: Russia to Form New Arctic Air Defense Division in 2018

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — A new air defense division will be formed in the Russian Arctic next year, military sources with Russia’s Aerospace Forces told a local newspaper on Sunday.

"A decision has been taken in principle to create a new division. Concrete measures to set up and staff it will begin next year. The division will be formed from both new units and those on combat missions in the Arctic," sources told the Izvestiya newspaper.

There is one division covering the Kola Peninsula in Russia’s northwest, the White Sea, Arkhangelsk and Nenets regions beyond the North Pole. It is reportedly equipped with S-400 Triumf (NATO reporting name SA-21 Growler) and S-300 Favorit (SA-20B Gargoyle) missile systems as well as Pantsir (SA-22 Greyhound) anti-aircraft missiles.

On Thursday, President Putin ordered to reinforce Russia's borders in the Far East and the Arctic regions and to accelerate creation of infrastructure there.

Russia has recently identified the development of the country’s Arctic areas as a top priority. In July 2016, President Vladimir Putin unveiled a new strategy to strengthen Russia’s civil and military capabilities in the region.

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