President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday ordered the Defense Ministry to take every step necessary to protect Russia's security and national interests in the Arctic region.

"In the next year we need to complete the creation of the armed forces' new units. Special attention must be paid to the deployment of infrastructure and military units in the Arctic," Putin said at an expanded meeting of the Defense Ministry Board.

The president highlighted the recent restoration of an airbase on the Novosibirsk Islands off northern Siberia as "a key factor for control over the situation in the Arctic region."

This year, Moscow has repeatedly emphasized its intention to return to the Arctic.

Earlier this month, Russia began to deploy aerospace defense units and build an early warning missile radar system near the polar city of Vorkuta. Completion of that system is scheduled for 2018.

In October, Putin reconfirmed Russia would never "surrender" its Arctic area.