The Safe Arctic 2023 experimental research exercises took place across nine regions in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation on April 6 and 7, with 3,500 specialists and 650 units of equipment and machinery involved. Rescue workers carried out 110 drills during these two days, and also practiced air, water, underground and surface rescue operations.

“We must be ready to promptly respond to any threats and challenges which may arise in the region. Held across nine regions, the exercise brought together units from various ministries, agencies, state corporations and entities included in the Russian System of Prevention and Response to Emergencies, who were tasked with 16 missions reflecting the most common risks the Russian Arctic poses,” Minister for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Disaster Relief Alexander Kurenkov said. He personally oversaw the exercises.

The official said that these drills are expected to enable the Emergencies Ministry to obtain objective information on whether the available forces and assets are prepared to operate in an extreme climate and in hard-to-reach areas, as well as to effectively plan future efforts to promote safety in the Arctic.

“I would like to stress the professionalism, skills and effective coordination by Russian rescue workers. They demonstrated in all clarity that the Russian Federation is ready to fulfill its international obligations with a sense of serious responsibility.

This and future exercises are designed to prevent emergencies and deal with relief efforts with the Emergencies Ministry directly involved as the focal point, and for further reinforcing our prevention and response capabilities in the Russian Arctic, as well as across the Arctic region as a whole,” Nikolai Korchunov, Ambassador-at-Large with the Russian Foreign Ministry, who chairs the Arctic Council’s Senior Officials’ Committee, said.

The previous Safe Arctic exercises took place in seven regions of the Russian Arctic in September 2021, when specialists practiced emergency relief efforts and tested 47 new pieces of equipment, gear and methods. Some 6,000 specialists took part in the drills, held as part of Russia’s 2021-2023 chairmanship in the Arctic Council.