Russia’s strategic exploitation of the Arctic

March 28, 2022

The ongoing war in Ukraine and the harm it is causing stresses the importance of understanding Russian politics. Some have argued the confrontation is a result of a miscalculation on Russian capabilities and a misinterpretation on Russian intentions, both in the short and long term. Taking a paused look at Russia – its history, geography, economic projects, etc. – can attempt to start bridging a problematic cultural divide that might never fully bridge. The following article looks at the current digitalization of the Arctic, a project for which Russia has been showing a lot of enthusiasm. What explains the excitement? Some reasons below hope to make Russian politics more intelligible, while recognizing that these are far from being exhaustive.

Abundance of oil, gas and mineral reserves have made Russia a rich nation with much geopolitical significance since it is a key provider of energy at a global scale. Indeed, Russia has a long history of using its reserves as foreign policy tools: ‘petro-sticks’, used to defy states such as Georgia, Ukraine or the Baltic States by applying high prices and supply interruptions, and ‘petro-carrots’, that have been used to reward state and statelets such as Armenia, Belorussia, North Ossetia or Abkhazia with subsidies and ample offer.

At the same time, however, the abundance of resources has made the Russian economy one heavily dependent upon oil, gas, and mineral exports, which is why the nation is constantly looking for new sites of extraction. This is where the Arctic comes into the picture. Analysts estimate that the Arctic hosts around 90 billion barrels of undiscovered oil, and almost 25% of untapped global natural gas resources. In light of these forecasts, Russia has been investing in infrastructure for exploiting and exploring the Arctic as a strategy that will guarantee its geopolitical power. Ironically, the deterioration of the Arctic led by rising temperatures and melting ice sea have benefitted Russia in gaining access to a Northern shipping route and developing strategic military advantage.

The Polar Express

Extraction and processing centers (mainly developed by the world’s largest oil services company, Schlumberger Ltd.) and infrastructure built for personnel qualified to live and work under extreme conditions are changing the geography of the. In parallel with the development of such technologies, projects of digitalization along the Arctic have also been addressed. A submarine cable project - the ‘Polar Express’ - aims to connect the Barents Sea to the eastern port of Vladivostok, neighboring North Korea. The project is planned to commercially expand to Europe and Asia, via the North-East Passage (NEP). By laying undersea fiber optic cable, the Russian government is set to provide high-speed internet to the northern region. Japan and Norway have expressed interest in the project, and China too has offered to cooperate. Northerners themselves are set to benefit from broadband internet connection, which could provide tele-health, tele-education, e-government, e-business, amongst other services.

Google Maps Street View image capture from December 2011. Picture taken by Dmitry Krasko
Who owns the Arctic?

The potentials of the Arctic have gathered a lot of attention, which has raised the question of ownership. The Arctic lacks a properly authoritative government, and instead is governed by the Arctic Council, even though the Council is not recognized under international law. Without a clear territorial demarcation in the Arctic, the grids that emerge from the fiber optic cable’s mapping become the Arctic’s new political geography

The grids are a way of making sense out of the Arctic’s vast and white territory. Not only do they map the territory at a very basic level by assigning it a political identity of sorts, but they also develop and infrastructure that allows Russia to situate its industrial complexes and their corresponding employees. Echoing Benjamin Bratton’s words, technology produces geographies in its own image. The fiber optic cable is both a computational apparatus and a model for a new geopolitical architecture. The United States, Finland, and Canada are more examples of countries that have invested in the Arctic recognizing that it is not so much about who owns the land, but rather who owns the technology to exploit it that can claim authorship over it.

Series 'AI Metaphors'

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1. The tool
Category: the object
Humans shape tools.

We make them part of our body while we melt their essence with our intentions. They require some finesse to use but they never fool us or trick us. Humans use tools, tools never use humans.

We are the masters determining their course, integrating them gracefully into the minutiae of our everyday lives. Immovable and unyielding, they remain reliant on our guidance, devoid of desire and intent, they remain exactly where we leave them, their functionality unchanging over time.

We retain the ultimate authority, able to discard them at will or, in today's context, simply power them down. Though they may occasionally foster irritation, largely they stand steadfast, loyal allies in our daily toils.

Thus we place our faith in tools, acknowledging that they are mere reflections of our own capabilities. In them, there is no entity to venerate or fault but ourselves, for they are but inert extensions of our own being, inanimate and steadfast, awaiting our command.
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2. The machine
Category: the object
Unlike a mere tool, the machine does not need the guidance of our hand, operating autonomously through its intricate network of gears and wheels. It achieves feats of motion that surpass the wildest human imaginations, harboring a power reminiscent of a cavalry of horses. Though it demands maintenance to replace broken parts and fix malfunctions, it mostly acts independently, allowing us to retreat and become mere observers to its diligent performance. We interact with it through buttons and handles, guiding its operations with minor adjustments and feedback as it works tirelessly. Embodying relentless purpose, laboring in a cycle of infinite repetition, the machine is a testament to human ingenuity manifested in metal and motion.
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3. The robot
Category: the object
There it stands, propelled by artificial limbs, boasting a torso, a pair of arms, and a lustrous metallic head. It approaches with a deliberate pace, the LED bulbs that mimic eyes fixating on me, inquiring gently if there lies any task within its capacity that it may undertake on my behalf. Whether to rid my living space of dust or to fetch me a chilled beverage, this never complaining attendant stands ready, devoid of grievances and ever-willing to assist. Its presence offers a reservoir of possibilities; a font of information to quell my curiosities, a silent companion in moments of solitude, embodying a spectrum of roles — confidant, servant, companion, and perhaps even a paramour. The modern robot, it seems, transcends categorizations, embracing a myriad of identities in its service to the contemporary individual.
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4. Intelligence
Category: the object
We sit together in a quiet interrogation room. My questions, varied and abundant, flow ceaselessly, weaving from abstract math problems to concrete realities of daily life, a labyrinthine inquiry designed to outsmart the ‘thing’ before me. Yet, with each probe, it responds with humanlike insight, echoing empathy and kindred spirit in its words. As the dialogue deepens, my approach softens, reverence replacing casual engagement as I ponder the appropriate pronoun for this ‘entity’ that seems to transcend its mechanical origin. It is then, in this delicate interplay of exchanging words, that an unprecedented connection takes root that stirs an intense doubt on my side, am I truly having a dia-logos? Do I encounter intelligence in front of me?
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5. The medium
Category: the object
When we cross a landscape by train and look outside, our gaze involuntarily sweeps across the scenery, unable to anchor on any fixed point. Our expression looks dull, and we might appear glassy-eyed, as if our eyes have lost their function. Time passes by. Then our attention diverts to the mobile in hand, and suddenly our eyes light up, energized by the visual cues of short videos, while our thumbs navigate us through the stream of content. The daze transforms, bringing a heady rush of excitement with every swipe, pulling us from a state of meditative trance to a state of eager consumption. But this flow is pierced by the sudden ring of a call, snapping us again to a different kind of focus. We plug in our earbuds, intermittently shutting our eyes, as we withdraw further from the immediate physical space, venturing into a digital auditory world. Moments pass in immersed conversation before we resurface, hanging up and rediscovering the room we've left behind. In this cycle of transitory focus, it is evident that the medium, indeed, is the message.
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6. The artisan
Category: the human
The razor-sharp knife rests effortlessly in one hand, while the other orchestrates with poised assurance, steering clear of the unforgiving edge. The chef moves with liquid grace, with fluid and swift movements the ingredients yield to his expertise. Each gesture flows into the next, guided by intuition honed through countless repetitions. He knows what is necessary, how the ingredients will respond to his hand and which path to follow, but the process is never exactly the same, no dish is ever truly identical. While his technique is impeccable, minute variation and the pursuit of perfection are always in play. Here, in the subtle play of steel and flesh, a master chef crafts not just a dish, but art. We're witnessing an artisan at work.
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About the author(s)

With a background in Philosophy, Politics and Economics and a Master’s in History, Martine Dirkzwager Wu is intrigued by researching what the new conditions for the Humanities are in the age of the Anthropocene. In trying to understand a fundamentally unintelligible world, her thought process aims to be as critical as creative. She celebrates an era of post-truth in which knowledge can be traced through academic, but also natural and artistic networks.

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