ST. PETERSBURG -- Russia's Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Alexander Moiseyev warned on Tuesday that the security environment in the Arctic is deteriorating, accusing the United States and NATO allies of stepping up their military activity and undermining regional stability.

Speaking at the 15th International Forum Arctic: Today and the Future in St. Petersburg, Moiseyev said the Arctic is increasingly being treated by Western countries as a region of possible future conflict, rather than an area for cooperation. He linked this shift to intensified competition for access to Arctic natural resources and control over strategic maritime and air routes.

Moiseyev said Russia is recording a steady increase in foreign military presence, along with intensified Western efforts to restrict Russia's economic activity.

He noted that NATO's enlargement through the accession of Finland and Sweden has enabled the United States to extend its military presence on the Scandinavian Peninsula and move closer to Russia's borders.

Western countries are developing military infrastructure in northern latitudes, Moiseyev said, adding that this expansion indicates the formation of "military instruments aimed at deterring Russia in the Arctic."

Rejecting Western allegations of Russian militarization, Moiseyev said, "It is not we who are approaching their borders. They are approaching ours."