Norway’s self-imposed security and defense restrictions in Finnmark region have a historical precedent: Not to provoke a Moscow that has its main naval nuclear assets based along the coast of the Kola Peninsula.
It might look strange, however, today when Swedish, British or American electronic surveillance aircraft fly missions to collect data from Russia’s northern region, the planes have to circumnavigate Norway’s northeast corner. The aircraft can patrol the entire NATO eastern border, up to northernmost Finland, but are then forced to fly west across Norway before turning east again over international airspace in the Barents Sea. Likewise, NATO army soldiers are welcome to exercise in east-Lapland near Finland’s border with Russia, but not in the Varanger area of Norway. This despite the fact that Russia is daily jamming GPS signals, conducts grey-zone operations and holds live-shooting naval exercises provoking the Norwegians,
”It is a somewhat unique set of restrictions.” explains professor Njord Wegge. […]
Last December, Finland signed an agreement with the United States allowing for American troops to be based in Ivalo, a short 40 minutes drive from the border with Russia’s Kola Peninsula. U.S. soldiers are already frequently exercising together with Finnish and other Nordic military units at Rovajärvi training area in Lapland. Likewise is U.S. Air Force fly wing-by-wing with Finnish fighter jets from Rovaniemi airbase located on the Arctic Circle. […]
Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, has previously said to the Barents Observer that there are no plans to lift restrictions on NATO activities near border with Russia.
“…. we have no plans to change the pattern that is recognizable to Norway,” Støre said. […]
When Norwegian regional officials this summer talked about plans to strengthen cooperation with NATO allies in Finnmark, Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, warned of escalating tensions.
“The militarization of the Norwegian north will not lead to greater security. Rather it will have an opposite effect, triggering an escalation of tensions,” she said. Läs artikel