Photos: Putin visits Franz Josef Land

By Arctic Now, Reuters March 30, 2017

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Russian President Vladimir Putin visits the cave of Arctic Pilots Glacier in Alexandra Land in remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land, Russia March 29, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin is welcomed by Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu, Natural Resources Minister Sergei Donskoi and Sergei Ivanov, Putin’s special representative on questions of ecology and transport, upon his arrival to the remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land, Russia March 29, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin sits in a car during a visit to Alexandra Land in remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land, Russia March 29, 2017. Picture taken March 29, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Russian President Vladimir Putin walks out of a car during a visit to Alexandra Land in remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land, Russia March 29, 2017. Picture taken March 29, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev visit the “Omega” field base in the Russian Arctic National Park in Alexandra Land in remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land, Russia March 29, 2017. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Sergei Ivanov, Putin’s special representative on questions of ecology and transport, visit Alexandra Land in remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land, Russia March 29, 2017. Picture taken March 29, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev attend a meeting on an integrated development of the Arctic at a military base in Alexandra Land in remote Arctic islands of Franz Josef Land, Russia March 29, 2017. Picture taken March 29, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Franz Josef Land, a remote Russian Arctic archipelago, on Wednesday, March 29.

Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, as well as Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, Natural Resources Minister Sergei Donskoi and Sergei Ivanov, Putin’s special representative on questions of ecology and transport, also took part in the trip, which came in advance of Putin’s attendance, on Thursday, of an international Arctic forum in Arkhangelsk.

Franz Josef Land is the site of renewed military activity as part of Russia’s broader military expansion in the region. It is also poised to see big growth as a destination for tourists on Arctic cruises.

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