The Norwegian government announced on Friday that it would release more than 300 million additional euros this year to notably strengthen its military presence in the Far North near the border with Russia, following the invasion of Ukraine. . “Even if a Russian attack on Norway is not likely, it must be realized that we have a neighbor to the east which has become more dangerous and more unpredictable,” said the Norwegian Defense Minister, Odd Roger Enoksen, during a press conference.
196 kilometers of border with Russia
The envelope will be used to increase the presence of the navy in the north, intensify the training of the active army and the reserve, increase the stocks of ammunition, fuel and other critical equipment, improve the reception facilities for allied troops and strengthen cyber defense and intelligence. Guardian of NATO’s northern borders in Europe, the Nordic country shares 196 kilometers of land border with Russia in the Arctic as well as a huge maritime border in the Barents Sea. “We need to increase our presence in the High North,” Mr. Enoksen stressed.
“Russia has significant security interests in our neighborhood and the High North also has strong economic importance for Russia,” he said. Important naval, air and land maneuvers are currently taking place in Norway with the participation of some 30,000 soldiers from 27 countries, members of NATO or partners of the Alliance (Sweden and Finland). Exercise Cold Response 2022 is specifically aimed at testing Norway’s ability to receive Allied reinforcements in the event of external aggression, in accordance with Article 5 of the Alliance Charter which obliges all its members to come to the aid of one of their own in case of attack.
50 million euros to strengthen civil defense
It also allows Allied troops to harden themselves in combat in extreme cold. The government has also announced the release of an additional 50 million euros to strengthen civil defence. More than three million Ukrainians having been forced to flee the war in their country, Norway is preparing to receive up to 100,000 refugees, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told Parliament. “It’s not the most likely scenario, but we need to have a plan if it happens. Then there will be need for accommodation in warehouses, gymnasiums, tents,” he said.
Immigration authorities say they expect to receive 35,000 asylum seekers this year, including 30,000 from Ukraine. Norway, which is not a member of the European Union, has also adopted the same sanctions as the Twenty-Seven against Russia in reaction to the invasion of Ukraine. With one exception: it refuses “for the time being” to ban the official Russian media, RT and Sputnik, now banned from broadcasting by the EU. “I have to admit that this is a difficult file where major principles collide with each other and we want to give ourselves more time”, explained Mr Støre, underlining that “freedom of expression is central here”. .