The United Kingdom plans to use artificial intelligence (AI) technology to detect "hostile state activity" in the Arctic, the UK government said on Tuesday, pointing to threats to critical infrastructure that it believes Russia's presence poses in the region.

"The UK is stepping up its efforts to safeguard national security by leveraging AI to detect hostile state activity in the Arctic," the document read.

The UK government accused the Russian navy's Northern Fleet of creating "increasingly sophisticated subsea threats" to national security, without providing any evidence to back up its allegations.

Russian nuclear-powered icebreakers are operating in regions close to the Arctic, paving the way for Russian-linked tankers, which the UK government claims threaten maritime safety and the environment.

'Monitor hostile activity'

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy is expected to announce a joint program on using AI to "monitor hostile activity in the region" during his official visit to Iceland, the ministry said. Lammy will be the first top UK diplomat to visit the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard (also known as Spitsbergen).

Russian Ambassador to the UK Andrei Kelin has accused the UK of using the "Russian threat" rhetoric as a pretext for establishing a firm foothold in the Arctic. The Financial Times has reported that the government will urge military expansion in the Arctic in a defense report.

Russia, the US, and China: Competing Arctic interests

Geopolitical competition in the Arctic has accelerated. Russia’s military posture and Trump’s statements on Greenland signal a hardening of Arctic diplomacy. 

Despite these pressures, the Arctic Council has not lost any members, and efforts to maintain multilateral cooperation have continued under Norway’s leadership.

Russia has been for years saying it wanted to develop its Arctic posture. In late 2023, the Russian Foreign Ministry's ambassador-at-large, Nikolai Korchunov, said Russia and China were getting ready to finalize a cooperation deal concerning the Snowflake International Arctic Station.

He further said that Russia is willing to explore opportunities for mutually advantageous scientific collaboration in the Arctic region and remains open to considering proposals from other nations regarding participation in the Snowflake project.

Read more: Fearing Russia, China competition, US creates Arctic ambassador post

The Snezhinka International Arctic Station, also known as Snowflake, is envisioned as a year-round research facility powered by renewable energy sources and hydrogen fuel.