Putin says experts should hold on to every area of Russia’s Arctic continental shelf

While conducting bilateral and multilateral consultations with governments of the Arctic nations, Russian experts should hold on to every area of the Arctic continental shelf of Russia and its marine basins. According to the Kremlin press center, Vladimir Putin said this at an expanded meeting of the Security Council “On the Implementation of Russia’s State Policy in the Arctic in the Interests of National Security”. 

The President named the legal formalisation, in line with international law, of the outer boundary of Russia’s continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean a pressing issue that requires careful work. 

At the 33rd session of the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf held in March, Russia spoke of its right to part of the Sea of Okhotsk that was earlier considered open – this is a 52,000 square kilometre area, the bottom of which is the continuation of Russia’s continental shelf. As a result, at its Plenary Session the Commission agreed with Russia’s reasoning and made the required recommendations.