The purpose of this work is to study the real scale and nature of the changes in Arctic policy caused by the launch of the Russian Special Military Operation in Ukraine (SMO). The author introduces into academic discourse the concept of the “postFebruary Arctic” in order to facilitate a better understanding of the dramatic changes that occurred in the Far North after February 24, 2022, as a result of the active phase of the Russian- Ukrainian military conflict. The complexity and uncertainty of the changes taking place in the region can be explored by examining several notable consequences or impacts following the launch of the SMO. The key question of this study is: “Is it true that the events in Ukraine are changing the Arctic and the regional international order to such an extent that we can speak of the emergence of a ‘post-February Arctic’?” If the answer is affirmative, an additional question arises: “What processes and concepts can be used to describe these dynamics?”. In the course of the research, the author formulated seven key conceptual theses, each of which reflects the unique and unprecedented nature of the “postFebruary” changes in the Arctic. The unpredictable and even shocking character of the processes in the contemporary Arctic, triggered by the unexpected launch of the SMO, is emphasized.
«Arctic exceptionalism»; «postFebruary» Arctic; non-linearity; Special military operation in Ukraine; Russian Federation; People’s Republic of China; NATO.