Some things the markets totally ignore
Mystery submarine sighting gives clue to Russia's Arctic ambitions
Norwegian scientists apparently spot aging nuclear research vessel, part of President Putin's plan to send 6000 troops to an area rich in oil and gas
telegraph.co.uk
A chance encounter by scientists adrift on an Arctic ice floe has given the first clues to a new Cold War being played out in in the far north, where Vladimir Putin has made no secret of his ambitions to extend Russian influence.
Yngve Kristoffersen and Audun Tholfsen, two Norwegian researchers, were coming to the end of their day when they spotted something unusual on the water.
"In the evening we spotted lights at a distance," the scientists recorded in their blog for October 16.
"Turned out to be a submarine at the surface in position: 89° 17.5' N, 172° 42.9' W. We were not able to identify it."
The men said that they approached the boat, but she sank back under the ice when they were within 100 metres of her.
They did, however, obtain several photographs which show a distinctive profile, with the outline of the fin and bulbous bow pointing to her being a Russian nuclear submarine.
She has been potentially identified as the Delta class boat Orenburg.
If so, then the scientists met an old monster, a former ballistic missile bomber which displaces 13,700 tons when submerged, and was originally commissioned into the Northern Fleet in 1981.
Later refurbished to be able to launch and retrieve a mini-submarine, she is now believed to be used for classified deep-sea research.
This chimes with last week's announcement that the Kremlin intends to create a 6,000-strong Arctic force and open bases across the ice cap, beneath which are significant undiscovered reserves of oil, natural gas and minerals. |
