AN independent Scotland would be "at a deep strategic disadvantage" to Russia in the conflict that is expected to emerge from climate change, according to Icelandic academics.

Scotland would need "shelter" from stronger allies which will "incur costs different from, and not necessarily lesser than" those of contributing to UK defence, legal and political experts from the universities of Iceland and Akureyri have advised.

But small Nordic states have been living with similar risks for decades while independence would allow Scotland to pursue new tactical alliances more suited to its national interests, they say.

First Minister Alex Salmond last week set out his vision for defence in an independent Scotland on a visit to Shetland, which he said would take account of position, size and future responsibilities as global warming opens up shipping lanes and energy sources.

The academics said: "Like all Nordic states, Scotland would be at a deep strategic disadvantage vis-a-vis the main potentially problematic actor in the region, namely Russia.

"It would have less than a twelfth of the population of, and far less military strength than, its nearest neighbour – the remaining UK (rUK). It would also be more exposed, geopolitically, than rUK to the wider Arctic zone which is expected to witness rapid development and turbulence – if not actual conflict –because of climate change."

SNP defence spokesman Angus Robertson said: "This report recognises that as a member of the EU, Scotland would be able to form the political alliances that best meet Scotland's needs."

A spokesman for the Better Together campaign said: "Our armed forces are the best in the world, yet Alex Salmond's independence campaign wants to dismantle them. How can that possibly be in our best interests?"