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Breaking the Ice: Emerging Legal Issues in Arctic Sovereignty
- Article from:
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Chicago Journal of International Law
- Article date:
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July 1, 2008
- Author:
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Copyright informationCopyright University of Chicago Law School Summer 2008. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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In August 2007, Russia garnered international attention by sending two mini-submarines to plant a Russian flag in the deep seabed near the North Pole.1 The gesture symbolized Russia's interest in the Arctic,2 though many commentators have dismissed the act as legally inconsequential.3 The journey is believed to have been the first submarine mission to the North Pole seabed.4 During the excursion, scientists collected geological samples in the hopes of finding further support for Russia's pending claim that a large portion of the Arctic seabed is an extension of its continental shelf.5
Despite skepticism over the legal implications of Russia's mission, surrounding nations were quick to ...