"I would like to ask the Russian government to speed up the preparation of a revised version of a state program on social-economic development of the Arctic region, including the new approaches to the development of the state-private partnership in the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects, Arctic shelf exploration, and the development of the Northern Sea Route," Putin said at a meeting on Arctic development.
He also ordered the Rusian military and security bodies to ensure the protection of the country's national interests in the Arctic region.
"The Defense Ministry, the Federal Security Service and its borderguards component must implement their plans aimed at safeguarding [Russia's] national interests from the defense point of view, must protect our interests in the Arctic and ensure effective operation of the Northern Sea Route," Putin said at a meeting on Arctic development.
