Moscow, Sep 20 (IANS): Russia is prepared to defend its interests in the Arctic, even through military means, as NATO increases its military exercises in the region, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying.

"We observe how NATO is escalating exercises related to potential crises in the Arctic. Our country is fully prepared to defend its interests on military, political, and military-technical fronts," Lavrov told an interview for the documentary series 'Soviet Breakthrough,' Xinhua news agency reported.

Lavrov's comments come amid heightened tensions in the Arctic, where NATO has been ramping up its presence.

In July, the US Department of Defence released an updated version of its Arctic Strategy, outlining plans for joint military exercises with its allies to demonstrate combat readiness and operational compatibility. The strategy also highlights intentions to work with partners, local industries, and Alaska's native tribes to "strengthen integrated deterrence and increase shared security" in the region.

According to the Pentagon's strategy, the US and its allies plan to introduce more than 250 modern multi-role combat aircraft that could be deployed for Arctic operations by the 2030s.

Earlier this month, Nikolai Patrushev, an aide to the Russian president and chair of the Maritime Collegium, said that the US and its allies are intensifying pressure around Russia's borders, constantly testing its Defence capabilities. Patrushev accused the US side of pursuing militarisation in the Arctic, seeking to hinder Russian economic activities in the northern regions.