Russia will file a claim to the gigantic mineral wealth of the Arctic seabed with the United Nations by the end of the year, Russia's natural resources minister said on Tuesday.
Russia, the world's biggest country, says a whole swathe of the Arctic seabed should belong to Moscow because the area is really an extension of the Siberian continental shelf.
Russia is jumping the gun a bit, but this will be a major issue over the next few decades. I expect countries will begin moving in shortly to setup facts on the ground.
Jay