Satellite Images Show Huge Russian Military Buildup In The Arctic

The photos show runways that have been resurfaced, as well as additional surveillance and air defense assets. It's also been reported that Russia has been testing its newest missiles in a region where ice has melted due to climate change's impact.

Three Russian nuclear ballistic missile submarines were seen smashing through the Arctic in a display of military might in this latest progress.

These moves are thought to be part of Russia's effort to secure its northern coast and establish a main shipping route connecting Asia and Europe, a route that would halve the time it takes shipping containers from Asia to reach Europe via the Suez Canal.

Experts are worried about a range of next-generation super arms being produced and tested by Russia in the Arctic, which they fear could be used against the United States, according to CNN.

The Poseidon 2M39 torpedo, which is said to be under production at rapid speed, has sparked particular concern.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is said to have asked his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, for an update on a "key stage" of the tests in February. Further experiments are set to take place in 2021, according to several reports reported in Russian state media.

According to reports, the Poseidon 2M39 torpedo is propelled by a nuclear reactor and is intended to get through coastal defenses undetected at sea.

This system is designed to deliver a multiple megaton warhead, triggering toxic waves that could render vast portions of the target coastline uninhabitable for decades.

In November, Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Christopher A Ford said that the Poseidon was intended to ‘inundate US coastal cities with radioactive tsunamis.'

According to MailOnline, Russia, the United States, Canada, Denmark, and Norway have all attempted to claim sovereignty over various Arctic regions, with melting ice opening up new possibilities for mining resources and creating new shipping routes.

These latest satellite images show that Russia has been upgrading and building new facilities on the Kola Peninsular near Murmansk, as well as improving its old Cold War bases.