“Combat training missions involving elements of mountaineering in the conditions of the extreme north are a new experience for reconnaissance units that normally train in the mountains in southern Russia,” Kochetkov said.

The official said the drills included practicing survival techniques such as finding potable water and food, setting up camp and covert movement through inhabited areas.

He added that the soldiers employed various types of camouflage adapted to local terrain and held their first ‘sniper duels’ in polar conditions.

Russia has officially set itself the goal of deploying a combined-arms force by 2020, including military, border, and coast guard units, to protect its political and economic interests in the Arctic and boost Russia’s military security.

According to the Russian military, two arctic brigades will be deployed in Russia’s extreme north over the next few years.

Arctic airfields and establish a permanent naval presence along the strategically important Northern Sea Route.

The Arctic, believed to have vast untapped natural resources, has increasingly been at the center of disputes between the United States, Russia, Canada, Norway, and Denmark in recent years, as rising temperatures lead to a reduction in sea ice, opening up access to lucrative offshore oil and gas deposits.