Russian Resources Ministry Completes Request for Arctic Shelf Expansion

Russia's Natural Resources Ministry has sent the request for Arctic shelf expansion to other government bodies for approval prior to sending it to the UN.

Russia's Ministry of Natural Resources has completed the request to expand Russia's Arctic shelf territory and sent it to other Russian government bodies for consideration before sending it to the United Nations.

Russia originally planned on sending the request to expand its Arctic territory in the first quarter of 2015, for it to be considered by the United Nations in the summer. Countries have to send a scientifically-grounded request to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to expand borders beyond 200 kilometers offshore.

"My colleagues tell me that all agreements will be made, so we are moving forward," Russian Natural Resources Minister Sergei Donskoy said.

Denmark and its autonomous Greenland territory sent a request to expand its arctic shelf territory by 900,000 square kilometers in December 2014.

Other than Russia and Denmark, the US, Canada and Norway have Arctic sectors that they are considering laying claim to.