Thousands of miles north of the Ukrainian frontline, the winds of a new cold war are howling in the Arctic. This week, Russia began “Safe Arctic 2023”, a series of military drills in partnership with nine African and Latin American nations to test Russian-manufactured equipment and clothing in sub-zero conditions. It follows Norway hosting NATO’s biggest Arctic military exercise in 30 years earlier this month. Member states assembled an armada of submarines, fighter jets, amphibious transport ships and 20,000 troops to gameplay a simulated invasion. The theoretical enemy didn’t need to be spelt out. Both Russia and NATO are boosting their presence in the Arctic, a region of vital strategic importance for energy, trade and security, and a hotbed of geopolitical manoeuvring.