President Vladimir Putin announced plans to increase the Russian military presence in the Arctic. On Thursday at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk, he called on the Russian government to speed up the construction and renewal of crews behind the Northern Polar Circle. According to DPA, TASR writes about it.
“This is, of course, related to the strengthening of our military component in the region. The number of soldiers will grow here,” said. He also stressed the need for Russia to enforce his rights in the Arctic and accused NATO that he perceived the region as a potential battlefield. “Of course, we are concerned about the fact that NATO countries are increasingly identifying the far north than the bridgehead for possible conflicts and rehearsing the use of the army under the conditions there,” said.
Warned that there will be deployed there too NATO troops from Finland and Sweden, “with which we had no problems until recently.” Finland and Sweden entered NATO in concern for their own security after a large Russian invasion of Ukraine from February 2022. Despite NATO’s warning statements, Putin insisted that Russia is not a threat. “Russia does not endanger anyone,” said.
On the statements of US President Donald Trump on taking over Greenland from Denmark, he said they should be perceived seriously. However, he described this as a bilateral affair between Denmark and the US, which is not related to Russia.
