US re-establishes 2nd Fleet, challenging Russia in the Arctic?
(Baonghean.vn) - The US's official restoration of the 2nd Fleet will create a potential conflict area with Russia, but analysts say Moscow will not be too worried about the Pentagon's lagging military capabilities in the Atlantic and Arctic.
Russian analysts say that while US officials have said they are “not looking for a war” when re-establishing the fleet, which had more than 100 ships when the Soviet Union collapsed, they are simply building a deterrent force to prevent “rising” foreign powers.
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| The ceremony to re-establish the US Second Fleet in Virginia on August 24. Photo: AP |
“This is a return to the Cold War, and maritime rivalry. This will not lead to good results, and we expect the United States to act more aggressively, especially around the North Atlantic. Tensions in bilateral relations will ‘heat up’, and this region will become a hot spot,” said Igor Korotchenko, editor-in-chief of National Defense magazine. The expert noted that Russia’s Northern Fleet is the most powerful force.
Meanwhile, the editor-in-chief of Homeland Arsenal magazine, Aleksey Leonkov, said that this was a countermeasure from Washington. Under President Barack Obama, the US underestimated Russia's determination to turn the Arctic into its backyard, a corridor, a source of hydrocarbons and a strategic location.
“NATO has virtually no forces in the North Atlantic, because the alliance believes that Russia will not develop its Arctic fleet and build up its defenses onshore. This, combined with the potential economic importance of the Arctic, creates a real risk for the Pentagon, and they have to respond,” the expert said.
While Russia does not deny that its submarines have returned to Soviet-era levels, with increased patrol frequency in the North Atlantic, analysts say the new US fleet is not purely defensive.
Mr. Leonkov said: "Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the US has arbitrarily redrawn the map, strengthening its power with military bases spread around the world. Therefore, it would be dishonest for US officials to criticize other countries for violating the rules."
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| Russia's Northern Fleet. Photo: Sputnik |
"International law is just a 'toilet paper roll' for the US. When they need it, they use it (to justify their actions), otherwise they throw it away and forget about it," said Viktor Litovkin, a military observer for the TASS news agency.
“The US is just one country. This is not the United Nations, so it cannot give orders. Not only Russia, but also China will not accept being dominated by US ambitions," Mr. Litovkin commented./.
