Dailymail-UK

Russian President Vladimir Putin is making an astonishing bid to grab a vast chunk of the Arctic – so he can tap its vast potential oil, gas and mineral wealth.

His scientists claim an underwater ridge near the North Pole is really part of Russia’s continental shelf.

One newspaper printed a map of the “new addition”, a triangle five times the size of Britain with twice as much oil as Saudi Arabia.

Muscle-flexing: Putin has his sights on Arctic oil and gas

The dramatic move provoked an international outcry. The U.S. and Canada expressed shock and environment campaigners said it would be a disaster.

Observers say the move is typical of Putin’s muscle-flexing as he tries to increase Russian power.

Under current international law, the countries ringing the Arctic – -Russia, Canada, the U.S., Norway, and Denmark (which owns Greenland) – are limited to a 200-mile economic zone around their coasts…

Click here to read entire story