UK doubles Arctic troop presence amid rising Russian threat
Illustrative photo: Britain to double military contingent in the Arctic (Getty Images)
The UK will double its military contingent in Norway over the next three years as part of efforts to counter threats from Russia in the High North, says UK Defense Secretary John Healey, according to the BBC.
Read also: Arctic power struggle: Russia expands control as Trump eyes Greenland
"Demands on defence are rising and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War,” Healey said.
He added that the number of troops deployed in northern Norway will increase in the coming years from about one thousand to two thousand personnel.
According to him, this commitment comes amid growing concern among NATO allies over Russia’s activities in the Arctic, including the reopening of old Cold War-era bases and the buildup of military presence in the region.
As part of the expanded presence, 1,500 Royal Marines will take part in the NATO exercise Cold Response, which will be held in the region in March.
In September, the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force will conduct an exercise called Lion Protector, involving air, land, and naval forces from several European countries.
This operation provides for training the armed forces to protect critical infrastructure from attacks and sabotage in Norway, Iceland, and the Danish Straits.
Background
Earlier, the media reported that Russia already controls most of the Arctic region. Moscow owns half of the land beyond the Arctic Circle and accounts for two-thirds of the region’s GDP.
Against this background, the White House stated that Russia has pushed Washington to take Arctic defense into its own hands due to growing military threats in the region.
The United States wants to ban Russia and China from extracting minerals in Greenland.
