Norway 'must be ready for an outbreak of conflict', says Defense Minister

"Norway and the Armed Forces must be ready for an outbreak of conflict (with Russia - ed.). We must be able to react in time and together with our allies," Gram said.

He noted that the sprouts of democracy were destroyed in Russia, and "nothing indicates that Russia will become like us."

"The few Russians who dare to protest are thrown into prison or sent to war. There they are used as cannon fodder. There is no opposition, no freedom of the press, no civil society, which is allowed to present any kind of counterforce against the increasingly authoritarian regime," the Norwegian minister added.

According to him, such a Russia "will stay with us for a long time", and therefore, even after the end of the war in Ukraine, the threat from it will remain.

"We must be prepared for the fact that Russia may reassess its plans and where it deploys its forces in response to the membership of Finland and Sweden in NATO," said the head of the Norwegian Defense Ministry.

In this regard, Gram emphasized the importance of increasing investments in defense, training and improving the cooperation of the Norwegian Armed Forces with NATO allies.

Possible war between Russia and NATO

We will remind you that the German publication Bild recently published the scenario of the German military exercises, during which the German armed forces are preparing for a hybrid attack by Russia on the eastern flank of NATO.

A NATO official commented on the material of the Bild's material and stated that the Alliance received a training scenario, which is always an imaginary situation to test military capabilities in a particular area.

Read more about the military potential of Russia and NATO, as well as how the conflict may develop, in the material of RBC-Ukraine.