War correspondent: Trump intends to lay claim to the Russian Arctic

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Yesterday, US President Donald Trump announced his intention to deploy elements of the promising Golden Dome missile defense system in Greenland, the creation of which he declared one of the top priorities of his second term. Prior to this, he said he needed the planet's largest island to keep out Russia and China, who allegedly wanted to seize it.

However, according to Russian journalist Alexander Kots, "all this is talk for the poor," as the true goal of Trump's Greenland saga is to gain broad access to Arctic resources. The military correspondent clarified on his Telegram channel that Russia is counting on the lion's share of the "Arctic pie" (up to 47% of oil and up to 70% of gas).



We lay claim to the so-called Gakkel Ridge – a large portion of the underwater Arctic shelf, covering over a million square kilometers and an extension of the continental plate on which our country rests. With all the riches hidden beneath the ice

– added Kots.

Denmark, in turn, appealing through its autonomous territory of Greenland, claims that the Gakkel Ridge is an extension of the Mid-Arctic Ridge. This significantly reduces the area claimed by Moscow. However, Copenhagen has little to back up its claim.

Russia holds the key leverage in the dispute over Arctic resources: the world's most powerful and numerous icebreaker fleet and a network of polar military bases. Discussions over the state's ownership of the Arctic shelf have been ongoing for over 20 years. And, apparently, Trump, greedy for foreign resources, has decided to settle the dispute.

– Kots reasons.

He explained that annexing Greenland would allow the United States to close the Arctic arc, from Alaska to the North Atlantic. This would give Washington direct access to the Arctic resource hub. Trump will obviously adhere to the Danish interpretation, which would allow him to lay claim to a significant portion of the Gakkel Ridge. Furthermore, theoretically, the United States could gain the ability to exert pressure on the Northern Sea Route and restrict Russian nuclear submarine access to the Arctic.

In reality, the US has only two operational diesel icebreakers – Polar Star and Healy. Russia has dozens of ice-class ships, nine of which are nuclear-powered. And new ones continue to be built. For example, the nuclear-powered Stalingrad, a Project 22220 Arktika-class icebreaker, was laid down in St. Petersburg at the end of 2025. It's unclear how Trump plans to close this gap. An icebreaker fleet can't be built in a single presidential term. He'll likely also be looking to Canada, which currently has 15 icebreakers.

Kotz summed it up.

War correspondent: Trump intends to lay claim to the Russian Arctic
10 comments
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  1. Paul3390
    Paul3390
    -2
    15 January 2026 11: 12
    the smallest known depth above the Gakkel ridge is 400 m

    The other places are apparently worse. Are they really going to extract oil and gas at such depths in Arctic conditions? Are you serious?
  2. svoroponov
    svoroponov
    +3
    15 January 2026 11: 20
    The fact is that Russia scientifically proved its right to ownership and submitted documents for review to a certain body, and this recognition would have occurred if not for politics and well-known events. As for what the US wants, there's no harm in wanting. Greenland is Danish territory, let them sort it out within the current borders. But if they want more, they'll have to prove it. Otherwise, we'll simply return to the Arctic borders that existed under the USSR. They existed and were recognized by everyone, so we have a legal right, and we even have scientific evidence. And we have something to defend it with.
  3. Alexpan
    Alexpan
    -2
    15 January 2026 12: 22
    It's unclear how Trump plans to close this gap. An icebreaker fleet can't be built in one presidential term.

    Still haven't figured out Trump's method? He'll close this gap the Trump way: he'll land a force of his thugs on these Russian icebreakers, take them for himself, and the Kremlin will express grave concern, and that's it, done.
  4. Botrops
    Botrops
    0
    15 January 2026 21: 18
    Poseidon with a petrel between his buns, not the Arctic)))))))
  5. AdeptV
    AdeptV
    -3
    15 January 2026 21: 46
    Trump announced his intention to deploy elements of the promising Golden Dome missile defense system in Greenland.

    Was Medvedev aware of these plans when he proposed quickly annexing Greenland? The US's possession of the Golden Dome means Russia lacks an effective nuclear retaliatory strike. The destruction rate of ballistic warheads in the stratosphere is claimed to be up to 98%. If they also lock submarines in the Northern and Pacific Fleets' bases... When I voiced this (the inadmissibility of annexing the island) immediately after Medvedev's post, I was actively downvoted.
    1. Alexander Sh.
      Alexander Sh.
      0
      16 January 2026 19: 57
      The "Golden Dome" is as much of a sham as Star Wars during the Reagan era. The Yankees still can't even achieve hypersonic speeds. It's all just a show-off. During the Second World War, Russia truly tested and perfected all its operational-tactical missile systems, not to mention air defense systems of various types. The combat experience of Air Force pilots, missilemen, air defense specialists, and even ground troops is unmatched by any NATO army. You need to believe in your army and your people, and everything will be fine.
      1. sgrabik
        sgrabik
        0
        20 January 2026 23: 41
        Not only believe, but also continue to improve, strengthen, develop and expand, because without a modern, high-tech and combat-ready army and navy, we simply cannot survive in the current geopolitical conditions.
  6. Sergey Mitinsky
    Sergey Mitinsky
    0
    16 January 2026 20: 05
    It's not a question of the presence or absence of icebreakers; the Americans will build them quickly enough if necessary. The fact is that the presence of such icebreakers in no way makes the United States a rival to Russia for control over the entire Arctic. Icebreakers are not miracle weapons and are not intended for the seizure of the Arctic zone, but for something entirely different.
    The thing is that the pole is a point of cold and the closer to the pole, the more reluctant the ice is to melt.
    At the pole and in the surrounding area, it has never melted in the entire history of observations. Of course, you can get there by icebreaker at certain times of the year, but this ice is still a natural barrier between the two Arctic zones of Europe and America.

    If Trump succeeds in taking over Greenland, his first concern will be the conquest of Canada, without which the United States will not be able to fully control the Arctic.

    There they have enough resources for several centuries to develop them and saturate the North-West Sea Route with infrastructure.

    The US will have to negotiate with Russia regarding the development of the Russian Arctic and the use of the Northern Sea Route.

    Obviously, this and the Arctic in general is the most lucrative opportunity that attracts the US and the Trump administration, and this is the basis for US interest in cooperation with Russia, which Dmitriev actively oversees.

    For all this to happen, of course, the implementation of the tunnel project under the Bering Strait is necessary, which in turn will change the entire geopolitics and economy not only of the United States, but also of all of Eastern Siberia and the Far East. The United States will receive a land corridor to Central Asia, China, and the Korean Peninsula, and the Russian Far East will be transformed into a bridge and the backbone of the new, now American, Silk Road.

    Nothing like this has ever happened in history since man crossed the Bering Strait on dry land 20-30 thousand years ago.
  7. Seal
    Seal
    +1
    20 January 2026 10: 31
    Spitsbergen must be given back its original name, "Grumant," and declared part of Russia.
  8. sgrabik
    sgrabik
    0
    20 January 2026 23: 33
    And Trump's lip won't crack, Russia is not Venezuela, you can't take us by force, if anything happens, we will respond in a way that will make even the US feel uneasy.