Why Militarization of the Arctic Is Accelerating - Superpowers' Next Global Battleground | Lena Petrova

The new front line of global power isn’t in Asia or the Middle East—it’s in the Arctic and Antarctic.

Once defined by science and climate cooperation, the polar regions are now becoming arenas of accelerating great power competition. The United States, Russia, and China are reshaping these frozen frontiers through military buildup, infrastructure expansion, and strategic resource claims.

Russia remains the dominant Arctic actor, rebuilding dozens of military bases, strengthening the Northern Fleet, and securing the Northern Sea Route. Submarine patrols, bomber flights, and near-daily intercepts signal a return to Cold War–style tensions.

China, calling itself a “near-Arctic state,” is expanding its influence through scientific missions, shipping investments, and partnerships with Russia. Western governments increasingly view this Russia-China alignment as a single strategic challenge transforming the Arctic.

In response, the U.S., Canada, and the Nordic states are ramping up defense spending, modernizing icebreakers, building new Arctic ports, and tightening cooperation. Greenland is emerging as a critical geopolitical priority as Washington works to prevent any Chinese foothold.