Russian Attack & more – 4th Jan 2024

Góðan daginn from BA! This is the Rorshok Arctic Update from the 4th of January twenty twenty four. A quick summary of what’s going down North of the Arctic Circle!

While many see the holiday period as a time of peace and tranquility, unfortunately the Russian military continued to enforce its might. On the morning of Friday, the 29th of December, a squad of nine air bombers set off from an Arctic military base on the Kola peninsula. Flying to Ukraine, they unleashed devastation across the country, with only civilians targeted in the brutal attack which left at least sixteen killed.

Russia has been using its Arctic bases more frequently to launch attacks as they are out of Ukraine’s retaliatory range. In order to bolster their Arctic defenses, on the same day as the air strikes, Russia’s newest warship was handed to the Northern Fleet. The nation plans a further seven warships to create an Arctic navy capable of dominating the Arctic Ocean.

The news out of Russia wasn’t all gloom however, on Thursday the 28th scientists from the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute launched a new greenhouse gas monitoring system. A specially designed gas monitoring station has been installed on Russia’s floating polar station which drifts around the north pole.

Due to the difficult weather and climate in the area it has been difficult to monitor gas flows previously. These new stations are able to measure the amount of carbon dioxide around the Arctic Ocean more accurately than ever before which is the first step in a new field of understanding how the Arctic is being changed by climate change.

On the 27th of December, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak announced that the Russian Arctic LNG-2 plant is close to operational, marking the start of liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments expected to begin in Q1 twenty twenty four.

Despite the international sanctions placed on the project by the US on November 2nd and the effects of this causing the project financial and technical difficulties, Novak emphasizes Russia's aim to reach 100 million tons of gas production by twenty thirty five. With strategic development projects, Russia targets a 15-20% share in the global LNG market, aligning with its historical position in pipeline gas supplies.

In twenty twenty three, the avian influenza emerged as a persistent issue in the Arctic, causing mass deaths among birds and occasionally spreading to animals and even humans. On Saturday the 30th, the Alaska Beacon reported the first-ever case of a polar bear succumbing to avian influenza near Utqiagvik on Alaska’s north coast. This marks the first known case and death of bird flu in polar bears, as well as the first instance of an Endangered Species Act listed animal in Alaska falling victim to the disease.

The robust and lethal strain of bird flu, which arrived in North America two years ago, continues to spread unabated. The case has been reported to the World Health Organisation due to concerns about the virus affecting new species across the entire Arctic.

Indigenous communities in North America have chalked up a critical legal win over the holiday period. In the Yukon River village of Holy Cross in Alaska, home to Ingalik Indians and Yupik Eskimos, a $1.2 million dollar federal grant was won from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation on Thursday the 28th. This grant will be used to develop a multi-tribe conservation district across a wide swath of Alaska, from the Bering Sea to the Central Interior covering the lands of thirty eight different Indigenous tribes.

Tribes have been seeking to regain control over land that was taken from them in nineteen seventy one by the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, after over fifty years of fighting a new generation of Indigenous Alaskans finally have a chance to manage the land their tribes have occupied for centuries.

In a milestone for Sámi reindeer herders, a deal with Norway’s federal government reached on the 21st of December and reported by The Arctic Century on the 29th settles a twenty year conflict over the Fosen wind farm, Europe’s largest onshore wind project. Following a Supreme Court ruling that the windfarm violates Sami human rights, demonstrations erupted in Oslo to pressure the government into paying reparations. The agreement will force Statskraft, the state-owned company behind the project, to pay 7 million Norwegian crowns, about $700,000 US dollars, each year, for 25 years to the Sami communities south of the wind farm.

Regarding the Sami communities north of the wind farm, who demand the removal of the wind turbines in addition to financial remuneration, no agreement has been reached yet. Negotiations and protests are set to continue in twenty twenty four until a full resolution is reached with all Sami communities.

Since the massive volcanic eruption near Grindavik in Iceland just before Christmas, things have been relatively quiet. Residents were allowed to return on Christmas day but were requested to leave at night. However, the story isn't over. Magma is building underground, and University of Iceland geophysics professor Magnús Tumi Guðmundsson stated in an interview on Friday the 29th that a new eruption is likely within a few weeks, possibly even closer to the town.

The town council approved the construction of defensive barriers to protect against a new eruption, but completion may not be quick enough if it happens within the next few weeks.

In the uncharted realms of the Arctic and Pacific Oceans, a research team from Skoltech and Moscow State University pioneers the exploration of marine microorganisms. A report published in Scientific Reports on Wednesday the 27th has detailed how even when hindered by inaccessibility and DNA degradation in natural samples, they've identified optimal DNA isolation kits in a breakthrough study. Focusing on sea water, sediments, and invertebrate samples, the team assessed eight kits, considering factors like DNA quantity, fragmentation, contaminants, and reproducibility.

The findings offer crucial insights for scientists navigating the challenging terrain of marine genomic research, fostering the discovery of genes for antibiotics and genetic editing enzymes.

A disaster was narrowly avoided in Canada’s Arctic when on Wednesday the 27th a plane crashed in the Northwest Territories. The crash was quickly responded to by the Royal Canadian Air Force and by the morning of the 28th, all ten passengers were rescued with only two suffering serious injury. The flight was transporting workers to the Diavik diamond mine to begin construction on a new winter road.

Mine operator Rio Tinto issued a statement on the 1st of January that they are supporting the passengers and they don’t expect the crash to affect the construction of the winter road, which should be completed as scheduled in February.

In Canada’s year-end appointments on Thursday the 28th, Governor General Mary Simon named seventy eight individuals to the Order of Canada, including Willie Adams, Canada's first Inuk senator, recognized for his enduring support of Indigenous interests. Deantha Rae Edmunds, the first ever Inuk opera singer, is also honored for her contributions to Canadian culture and mentorship of young Indigenous musicians. Both Adams and Edmunds being honored represent significant milestones for Indigenous representation in Canadian history.

As we enter the new year, a surprise came from the Kingdom of Denmark which sent ripples through the Arctic and beyond. Denmark's Queen Margrethe the second, in a televised address on New Year’s Day, announced her abdication from the throne of Denmark. She will step down on the 14th of January, exactly fifty two years since she became queen.

The crown will pass to her son Prince Frederik. Queen Margrethe is the only reigning queen in the world, ruling over Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland since nineteen seventy two. She revealed she came to this decision after undergoing back surgery in early twenty twenty three and reflecting that it was time to pass authority onto the next generation.

Denmark’s monarchy isn’t well known, especially when compared to the British crown, but its legacy dates back to the year 958. The Danish government has written a great history of its monarchy and the link to this is in the show notes.

Aaand that's it for this week!

Happy New Year from the Rorshok family! These are our wishes for twenty twenty four: 1) that you tell your friends about us. 2)... Noup, that’s about it.

Remember you can help us financially with the link in the show notes.

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