What is the deliberate purpose of the high eccentricity in a Molniya orbit design?

Satellite spends large amount of time near apoapsis over specific region.

The Molniya orbit is a classic example of a designed Highly Elliptical Orbit (HEO), typically characterized by an eccentricity around 0.72. The purpose of this high eccentricity is strategic rather than purely geometric. Because orbital speed is slower when the object is farther away (near apoapsis), the satellite spends a disproportionately large amount of time hovering high above a specific latitude—often in the high northern latitudes requiring surveillance or communication coverage. This extended duration of high-altitude dwell time over the target area is the primary operational benefit derived directly from the orbit's highly elongated shape, contrasting sharply with orbits like the geosynchronous orbit where altitude and speed are constant.