From Guy Faulconbridge, Reuters:  Russia will increase naval patrols in the Arctic Ocean to defend its interests against nations such as China seeking a share of the area’s mineral wealth, the navy commander was quoted as saying on Monday.

Arctic nations such as Canada, Russia, Norway, the United States and Denmark are trying to file territorial claims over the oil, gas and precious metal reserves under the Arctic sea bed that may become accessible as the ice cap shrinks.

But in a rare public warning about China from Russia’s top military brass, Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky warned that China had already joined the scramble for a piece of "the Arctic pie".

"We are observing the penetration of a host of states which… are advancing their interests very intensively, in every possible way, in particular China," Vysotsky was quoted as saying by Russian news agencies.

Russia would "not give up a single inch" in the Arctic.

"The ships of the Northern and Pacific fleets are continuing to increase their military presence in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation with new navy ships," he was quoted as saying by state RIA news agency.  (photo: Vasiliy Batanov/RIA Novosti)

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