The Race to Claim the Arctic - Claims, Icebreakers & Competition in the Far North

Thanks to the Patrons who voted for this topic - really hoping I can justify continuing the series to look at Arctic warfare and strategy. It's a strange world, with unique demands and consideration, and one where Russia has a powerful position (albeit potentially weakened as a result of that fateful 2022 decision). With ease of access growing and potential resource wealth on the table, I think there's a genuine chance that nations continue to invest in building up in the Far North. As for what that means for the fragile ecosystem and past agreements on the region - only time will tell.

China: We are a 'Near Arctic State'. Also China: Outsiders should stay away of the South China Sea dispute. Gotta love China's duality.

I'm 60 seconds in and I already see this heading towards "The US is currently dominant, but china built 86 ice breakers last week alone"

Correction: Iceland, not Norway chaired the Arctic council 2019-2021. That’s our foreign minister handing over the gavel at 20:10.

The thing about calculating the population of the arctic is extra funny to me. My aunt and uncle were IRS workers in Alaska, based out of Anchorage, and would fly out to the arctic. On most occasions, entire villages and towns would “go fishing/hunting” and be nowhere to be found because someone at the airport leaked that the IRS was on the way XD

„It‘s a region where there‘s a lot going on beneath the surface“ Perun invades Dad Jokes territory. 😂

If you remember that China unofficially-officially considers a large chunk of Sibera as properly belonging to China, then their claim as a 'near' arctic state make more sense.

Wait...the arctic??? Okay. Got my coffee. Got my cigar. Time to learn something about a topic I had no idea I was interested in...

As a Dane, I am very proud of how both we and our fierce Canadian opponents have conducted ourselves in the hard fought 50 years war for Hans Island - and I am similarly proud of the final settlement reached after the five decades of repeated battles. I thus send much love to Canada and all the rest of our allies from this Kingdom, which, as we say here, may be small when measured with the world but huge when measured with the heart! 🇩🇰⚔️🇨🇦😉

Spat my coffee at the sentence, "taking revenge for the Titanic." Ah, Perun! You are a treasure.

“The Canadians don’t have plans to burn the White House a second time…” Canadian sweating intensifies…

Just for the record. In Denmarks Santa Lore, he lives in Greenland, and not on the North Pole, so we already won.

The first thing that comes to my mind is the British research ship that should have been named Boaty McBoatface as the result of a public pole. The authorities chickened out.

Once again my Sunday night insomnia is rewarded with PowerPoint Man.

The fact you included a Stargate reference in here immediately puts this in contention for your top videos. I just hope the US can keep the chair supplied ;)

Who claims ownership of Santa's workshop: Easy. It is Finland as unlike the missinformation in US and some other parts of the world, Santa actually lives on Korvatunturi in Finland.

Hey Perun, former Canadian reservist here. You might already have talked to some relevant people but if want i can probably connect you with some of the guys who deployed to the arctic via OP Nanook and maybe even with people from our newer 'Arctic Response Company Group' who deployed last year. The land element might not mean the most in the arctic but we do exist!

I didn't know about the Arctic council. It's amazing that not only is there an international forum where Russia and the US actually successfully cooperated in 2021, but that they gave it a cute fox for a logo. I don't know whose decision the cute fox was, but they were so right.

There's significant dispute over where Santa and his workshop are located. Based on the conflicting information provided by commenters of various nationalities, I conclude he must have addresses in multiple countries, probably in some convoluted scheme to dodge paying taxes

Ok, I should be used to this by now. China builds a reef just above the waves in the middle of nowhere, draws a line back home and says “our sea”. Russia doesn’t even bother with an island, plants a flag on the sea floor (where literally no-one can see it) and says “our hemisphere” 🤦🏻‍♀️😅