Adam, this is off-topic and more suited to the Russiagate thread, or some such.
My bad Neven. I read the Hefaistos link and got carried away.
I think the opening of the Northern Route is one of the very few good things that is emerging from melting Arctic Seas. The NW Passage is fraught with difficulties from the US's insistence that it is an international waterway, to the Canadian Government's lack of built up infrastructure. The Law of the Sea says it's Canadian, the Americans refuse to sign the treaty. Russia ain't the enemy here, they signed early on.
Russian nuclear icebreakers are as close to non-polluting as we're liable to get, and her investment in repair, rescue, and restocking harbors should favor this route until the polar route is open to everyone.
It's sad that she feels the need to protect it militarily, but the times are as they are.
Shipments are moving between Europe and the Orient, and until the High Speed Rail lines are complete this shortcut through the Arctic saves many tons of CO2 - and some money.
Terry