Putin reviews Arctic security strategy with Russia’s top officials

Russian President Vladimir Putin has chaired an in-person meeting with permanent members of the Russian Security Council to discuss the development of the country’s Arctic Zone and national security in the region.

Opening the meeting, Putin said the agenda included two issues, one of a broader military and political nature and another focused specifically on Russia’s Arctic strategy and security.

“We have two issues. The first is of a general military-political nature, while the second is more specific — the strategy for developing the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation and ensuring national security in the Arctic. I suggest we start with the second one,” Putin said.

He subsequently gave the floor to Deputy Prime Minister and presidential envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev, as well as presidential aide and head of Russia’s Maritime Board Nikolai Patrushev.

The meeting marked the third consecutive in-person session of the Russian Security Council since the beginning of August, underscoring the Kremlin’s continued focus on strategic and security issues.

Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko, State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin, Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev and Kremlin Chief of Staff Anton Vaino also attended the meeting.

Other participants included Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu, Defence Minister Andrei Belousov, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov and Foreign Intelligence Service Director Sergei Naryshkin.

By Vafa Guliyeva