Russia has sent a liquefied natural gas tanker along the Northern Sea Route to Asia unusually late in the season, highlighting both favorable weather and Moscow's push to maximize energy revenues. This rare winter voyage comes as the Arctic region becomes increasingly contested among traditional powers like the United States, European nations, and Russia, as well as assertive non-Arctic states such as China. The war in Ukraine has disrupted longstanding governance and security cooperation, with the Arctic Council's work largely stalled and most Arctic states now under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's security umbrella. Recent moves by the United States to expand its icebreaker fleet, the European Union's call for a stronger Arctic strategy, and Russia's search for foreign investment all underscore the region's strategic importance. As global attention is focused elsewhere, the Arctic remains a key arena for great power competition, raising questions about its future stability.