Norway’s army chief has cautioned thatPutinmay set his sights on the country next. General Eirik Kristoffersen, Norway’s chief of defence, saidRussia could attempt to seizepart of the Nordic nation’s territory over nuclear assets stationed in the far north.
Mr Kristoffersen, 56, said that whilst he does not believeRussiais preparing a full-scale invasion like its war inUkraine, a significant portion of Russia’s nuclear arsenal is stationed on the Kola Peninsula, near Norway’s border. These would be crucial if Russia came into conflict with NATO elsewhere. “He warned that Moscow could focus on defending its nuclear facilities, describing them as "the only assets they have left”.
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“We don’t take that off the table, because it’s still an option for Russia to do that in order to make sure that their nuclear capabilities, their second strike capabilities, are protected. That’s sort of the scenario in the high north that we plan for,” the senior defence official said.
The nation does not “exclude a land grab from Russia as part of their plan to protect their own nuclear capabilities, which is the only thing they have left that actually threatens the United States”, General Kristoffersen toldThe Guardian.
He said that, while Russia has been active in the region, its moves there have been far less aggressive than its operations in the Baltic Sea.”
“So far, all cases of airspace violations in our area have been linked to misunderstandings. Russia actively uses GPS jamming, and we believe that this interference also affects their aircraft,” he said.
Mr. Kristoffersen was also sharply critical of recent remarks byDonald Trumpregarding Greenland, as well as the US president’s “unacceptable” assertion that allied countries had not served in frontline roles in Afghanistan, while US troops had carried out most of the fighting.
“It didn’t make sense what he said, and I know that all my American friends from Afghanistan know that,” said Mr. Kristoffersen, 56, a career army officer who served multiple tours in Afghanistan.
Source: Daily Express :: World Feed
