Putinโ Bolsters Arctic โคNuclearโค Arsenal, Raising NATO โคTensions
Oslo, Norway – Russia is significantly increasing its military presence in teh arctic Circle, amassing nuclearโ weapons and advanced submarines on the Kola Peninsula, accordingโ to Norway’s Defense Minister, Tore Sandvik. The build-up, revealed in an interviewโค with The โTelegraph, signals a potentialโ shift in focusโค towardsโฃ the Arctic asโ a key strategic theater, โnotably as โคthe conflict โคin Ukraine continues.
The Kola Peninsula, located in Russia’s โฃextreme northwestern flank, hosts the nation’s Northern Fleet โand โa significant portion of its nuclear arsenal – one of the largest concentrations of nuclear warheads globally. “Russiaโ is building up โon the Kola peninsulaโฆ where one of theโ largest arsenals of nuclear warheads in the world is located,” Sandvik stated. He clarified these weapons are not solely targetedโค at Norway, but alsoโข pose a threatโข to the UK, Canada, โขand the United States.
Norwegian officials report the Northern Fleet is actively being used to test new Russian weaponry and expand putin’s nuclear โcapabilities. Beyond bolstering its offensive power, Russia is also focused on securing critical naval routes.โค
Sandvik highlighted Putin’s ambition to gain complete naval control of the Arctic, โspecifically targeting twoโ key areas: the Bear โฃGap – the stretch of water between mainland norway and the island of svalbard โ- and theโค GIUK โGap, a pair of naval choke points between Greenland, Iceland, and โคthe United Kingdom. Control of theโข Bear gap is โcrucial โfor Russia to ensure unimpeded access for its submarines and the Northern Fleet to theโ atlantic Ocean.Together, Moscow aims to deny NATO access to the GIUK Gap,โข vital for resupplying Westernโฃ forces in a potential conflict.
“They [the nuclear weapons] are not only pointed towards Norway, โbut towards the UK and over theโค pole towards Canada and the US,” Sandvik added.
Theโฃ Defence Minister predicts the Arctic Circle will likely become โขthe next “main security theatre”โ following โฃthe war in Ukraine, underscoring a growing concern over escalating tensions in the region.