NATO’s Arctic activities pose security threat to Russia: Ambassador

Moscow: Russia is taking all necessary measures to ensure its national security amid the growing presence and military activities of NATO member states in the Arctic region, a Russian diplomat said on Saturday.

RIA Novosti quoted Russian Ambassador to Norway Nikolai Korchunov as saying that recent military preparations by Norway, Britain and other NATO countries on the alliance’s northern flank pose direct security risks to Russia, destabilise the Arctic region and increase the likelihood of dangerous incidents.

“It is clear that the intensified militarization of Norway’s northern regions and the internationalization of military activity in the Arctic will not strengthen security but instead fuel military-political tensions and escalation,” Korchunov said.

He stressed that these negative trends cause justified concern and compel Russia to take all necessary steps to safeguard its security, Xinhua news agency reported.

Britain and Norway signed a new defence cooperation agreement on Thursday. The agreement includes joint maritime patrols in waters between Greenland, Iceland, Britain and Norway to monitor movements of Russian Navy submarines. It also provides for increasing the number and duration of British Royal Marines deployments on Norwegian territory, and envisages the possible creation of supporting military infrastructure in the country’s northern regions.

Meanwhile, the Russian forces carried out a “massive strike” on Ukraine’s military-industrial complex, energy facilities and port infrastructure, the Russian defence ministry said Saturday.

The strike was in response to Ukraine’s overnight attacks on Russia’s civilian objects, said the ministry, adding that the strike involved long-range high-precision air and ground-based weapons, including Kinzhal hypersonic missiles and long-range unmanned aerial vehicles.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier in the day that rescue efforts were underway in numerous regions following Russia’s attacks.

Zelensky said Russia launched over 650 drones and 51 missiles targeting multiple regions, with injuries reported. He added that the main targets were energy facilities.

IANS