Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers have carried out an 11-hour patrol over the neutral waters of the Arctic Ocean. Moscow described these flights as routine training for its long-range aviation, but they take place in one of the world’s most contested emerging frontiers and are closely tracked by NATO air forces. In this episode of Grey Zone, we explore what the bombers were doing in the Arctic sky, how such patrols fit into Russia’s nuclear deterrence and power-projection strategy, and why the Arctic has become a trillion‑dollar arena for energy, shipping routes, and military competition.