Russia claims it discovered 5 new islands in Arctic

A Russian naval research team has discovered five new islands in the Franz Josef Land archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, state media said Tuesday.

The islands vary in size from 900 to 54,500 square meters, Russia's Northern Fleet said in a statement carried by state news agency RIA Novosti.

The islands, to the west of Severny Island, were first sighted three years ago during an analysis of satellite photos, the report said.

Russia has been expanding its presence in the Arctic in recent years as rising temperatures have made the waters of the Northern Sea Route navigable for longer periods.

The Arctic also holds a potential treasure trove of natural gas and rare earth minerals. The U.S. Russia, China and others are showing their interests.

In April, Russian President Vladimir Putin put forward a program to reaffirm his country's presence in the Arctic, including efforts to build ports and other infrastructure and expand its icebreaker fleet. Russia wants to stake its claim in the region that is believed to hold up to one-fourth of the Earth's undiscovered oil and gas.