The US Navy has sent four warships to the Barents Sea, off the coast of Russia, for the first time since the Cold War. The warships were joined by one warship from the British Navy.  The Navy has said the warships are there to ‘conduct maritime security operations’.

Russia was notified to the operations on May 1st, ‘in an effort to avoid misperceptions, reduce risk, and prevent inadvertent escalation’ a US Navy spokesperson said.

The US-British naval presence in the region comes at a time when Russia is pushing ahead with a huge military build up in the Artic.

The Arctic region is rich in hydrocarbon reserves, and as the sea ice melts Russia hopes to capitalise on the opportunity.

‘In these challenging times, it is more important than ever that we maintain our steady drumbeat of operations across the European theater, while taking prudent measures to protect the health of our force,’ said Vice Adm. Lisa Franchetti, commander, U.S. 6th Fleet.

‘We remain committed to promoting regional security and stability, while building trust and reinforcing a foundation of Arctic readiness.’

Read More: The Daily Mail