NI: Putin Received The "Polar Dagger" Near His Borders

• 24.08.2026, 17:35

The U.S. is deploying special forces to the Arctic.

U.S. special operations forces are conducting large-scale exercises in Alaska, just a few kilometers from Russian territory. The exercises are taking place against the backdrop of Washington’s growing focus on the Arctic and the return of U.S. special forces to training for a potential conflict, writes The National Interest.

The “Polar Dagger” and “Tundra Merlin” exercises are taking place on the islands and in the coastal areas of western Alaska, including St. Lawrence, Wales, Tin City, and Little Daucomite. The latter is located approximately three kilometers from the Russian island of Ratmanov in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.
The exercises are organized by the Special Operations Command of U.S. Northern Command. The military is practicing operations in Arctic conditions, as well as coordination between air and ground units.

Of particular importance is the Bering Strait region, which separates Russia and the United States and connects the Arctic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The strait is about 85 kilometers wide at its narrowest point, making the region an important strategic route.

“Such exercises demonstrate the ability of special operations forces to rapidly deploy in the Arctic,” U.S. Northern Command stated.

Participating in the exercises are members of the U.S. Army’s 10th Special Forces Group, known as the “Green Berets,” as well as Air Force personnel operating MC-130J Commando II transport aircraft. Navy SEALs and Marine Corps units also train regularly in the region.
Following the September 11 attacks, U.S. special operations forces focused for decades on counterterrorism operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Now their role is changing.

“Such exercises are designed to prepare commandos for war against adversaries with comparable capabilities, such as Russia and China,” the authors write.