Russia is concerned about possible NATO military activities in northern latitudes and warns of the risk of unintended incidents involving its forces in the Arctic, the local foreign ministry said on Sunday.
“The internationalization of the Alliance’s high-latitude military activities, in which the non-Arctic countries of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) participate, must be worrying,” said the Russian Ambassador and President of the Committee of Senior Officials of the Russian Federation Arctic Council , Nikolai Korchunov.
Speaking to the TASS news agency, the official stressed that such a situation poses a threat to regional security and could cause serious damage to the Arctic’s fragile ecosystem.
He drew attention to the international NATO Cold Response military exercises in northern Norway, which will begin on March 14 and last for two weeks, and which, according to him, do not help to ensure security in this area.
Korchunov warned that these were the largest Norwegian-led military exercises since the 1980s, drawing 30,000 troops from 27 countries, including NATO partners Finland and Sweden.
He also pointed out that the likely entry of Sweden and Finland into this military bloc will have a negative impact on security and mutual trust in the Arctic.
“The long-standing commitment of Stockholm and Helsinki to the policy of non-alignment over military alliances has been an important factor for stability and security in the northern European region and across the European continent,” he said.
According to media from those countries, Helsinki and Stockholm could apply for membership as early as the summer, and NATO leaders said they would agree to accept their membership.
This Thursday, Vice-President of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev warned that if these countries join, Russia will strengthen its western borders and then “there will be no more talk of a non-nuclear status in the Baltic Sea.” .