A second satellite will be launched next year to monitor the entire Northern Sea Route plus providing a communication upgrade for the vessels using the route. The Russians are not playing and are sparing no expense as this for the country is everything. They see the Arctic as theirs and are going to make sure everyone sees it that way. Putin is not holding back with investments and deals being made coming out weekly. This is where Russia sees their future becoming a global energy supplier and why they need the Northern Sea Route open permanently. Whether it is coal to China or Hydrogen to Japan the ships have to sail every day.
The Port of Murmansk will become a coal hub supplying coal to the East (China) who added another 43 coal powered power stations this year alone. Up until now they only exported to the West due to the route up until recently being closed due to ice.
The ice melting quicker and faster than ever is what the Russians wanted, but the rest of the world looks on a little stunned. The Russians are saying using the Northern Sea Route will be greener for the planet, but the ice fields melting at the speed they have has raised eyebrows. What is green about accessing oil and gas fields which will pollute the planet even more.
Climate change has allowed the Russians access to this via the ice melting and they are going to take advantage. Scientists predict that the Arctic sea will have no ice during summer by 2050. In October last year the nuclear powered ice breaker the Arktika designed to break through 3 meter thick ice reached the north Pole and wasn't "tested" once.
The situation is akin to “a heavy smoker using his tracheotomy to smoke two cigarettes at once”, according to Greenpeace.
When something becomes accessible and is brand new like a new sea everyone wants part of it and this is going to become political and could easily start a new cold war. Russia is currently doing military maneuvers in the Arctic sea stating this force is training to protect the Northern Sea Route. 50 warships, 120 aircraft and 8000 troops will be used to cover the route stationed at various bases along the Russian coastline.
Vladimir Putin is trying to populate the vast areas of emptiness along the Northern coast lines by offering free land. There is a reason why there is no one there lol as I can imagine the harsh conditions for a majority of the year.
Putin is selling the "green" idea to the rest of the world as he needs this to open up for business for the Russian economy. The idea for Russia to be a leader in renewable energy has surface this week with a partnership with Japan. Russia is planning to make the town of Sakhalin in to a hydrogen export hub supplying the Japanese and the rest of the world. Air Liquide (French) is going to build the plants required and it is expected to start manufacturing 100 000 tons by the end of 2025.
The plans that Russia has going forward over the next decade are gigantic and this is about taking advantage of an area that wasn't really accessible for a majority of the year. This will generate employment for hundreds of thousands and will create and change the face of Russia. Russia will open up as infrastructure is built and services connected.
Russia will be the envy of the rest of the world with the plans they have put forward as this is all new business being created. This is going to create an economic boom bringing "wealth" to areas that were once inhabitable. Wealth may be a bit strong as we know how the oligarchs made their money and wouldn't be stupid enough to believe many will benefit form this besides a few.