The Russian Navy's submarine fleet will continue to expand its Arctic presence to help maintain state security, Rear Admiral Viktor Kochemazov, Chief of the Russian Navy's Combat Training Directorate, told Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.

"The development of World Ocean Arctic basin ranks among the main objectives set by the Commander in Chief, and submarine forces are permanently doing their part… We are planning to expand our presence in this region, it's a matter of state security," he said.

Russian nuclear submarines are once again sailing beneath the Arctic Ocean's ice formations after a long absence, he added. "For example, the latest generation nuclear submarines have already sailed beneath these ice formations," Kochemazov noted.