Putin heightens the strategic role of the Northern Fleet

Valid from January 1st 2021, the Northern Fleet will have the same status as Russia’s four other military districts, the June 5 decree reads.

Today, Russia’s military is divided into four districts; the Western, Southern, Central and Eastern.

With the move, the Republic of Komi, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Murmansk Oblast and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug will be part of the Northern Fleet command and no longer belong to the Western Military District.

This is the first time in Russian history that a fleet becomes equal in command to a geographical military district. Since 2014, the Northern Fleet became the Joint Strategic Command of the Arctic, including onshore military installations along the Northern Sea Route. Since then, the Northern Fleet has not been part of the Western Military District.

The Command is headquartered in Severomorsk on the Kola Peninsula and its current commander is Vice-Admiral Aleksandr Moiseyev.

Geographically, the Southern, Central and Eastern military districts remain unchanged.

Putin gives his government a deadline until October 1st to prepare a plan for fulfilling the country’s new military-administrative division.

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