The document outlines Russia's policy for the Arctic, which is believed to contain as much as 25 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and gas. The paper was signed by President Dmitry Medvedev in September and released by the presidential Security Council, but it was only reported by Russian media on Friday.
Russia, the United States, Canada, Denmark and Norway have been trying to assert jurisdiction over parts of the Arctic.
The Kremlin paper says the Arctic must become Russia's "top strategic resource base" by the year 2020.
It calls for strengthening border guard forces in the region and updating their equipment while creating a new group of military forces to "ensure military security under various military-political circumstances."
By 2011, it says, Russia must complete geological studies to prove its claim to Arctic resources and win international recognition of its Arctic borders. The paper has been posted on the Security Council's web site.
In Toronto, Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said Friday that his country would not back down from its Arctic claims. "Sovereignty is uppermost for us," Cannon said. "We will not be swayed from that."
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