Six Russian Arctic bases are virtually complete, a high-ranking General Staff source told TASS news agency.

"Six military bases are basically completed and ready to open on Arctic islands and on mainland Russia above the Arctic Circle by December 1 under General Staff directives," the source said.

The bases are located on Kotelny Island, part of Novosibirskiye Islands, on Alexandra Land, part of Franz Josef Land, Sredny Island, part of the Severnaya Zemlya archipelago, in the town of Rogachyovo (Novaya Zemlya), on Cape Schmidt, and on Wrangel Island, part of the Chukotka Autonomous Area, the source added.

"High-priority infrastructure facilities have already been built or upgraded on these islands and on the cape, including administrative and residential buildings, part of Arctic unit self-sustaining military cantonments, airfields and combat positions," the source noted.

He said the military would continue to build and expand the Arctic infrastructure throughout 2016. "There are plans to reinforce all Arctic units by late 2016, to complete the remaining infrastructure facilities and upgrade airfields in 2017, and to deploy self-sufficient mobile Arctic forces in 2018," the source added.