Don't stand by: Norway has deployed new weapons near the Russian border
Norway has formed an artillery division of South Korean self-propelled guns near the border with Russia, Russian Ambassador to Oslo Nikolai Korchunov told Izvestia. According to him, by 2030, the kingdom plans to deploy missiles with a range of up to 500 km, and the Northern Fleet will be in their range. Sweden is discussing the purchase of French MdCN sea-based missiles with a range of 1.4 thousand km. And the local political elite and the media deliberately support an atmosphere of anti-Russian hysteria in society, the Russian diplomatic mission in Stockholm noted. Finland is also strengthening its missile arsenal and hosting a multinational NATO force. The risks posed by the alliance's confrontational activities near Russia's northern borders are described in the Izvestia article.
New threats to Russia near the border with Norway
At the end of August, Norway formed an artillery division as part of the Finnmark brigade in the province of the same name on the border with Russia. Four South Korean K9 self-propelled guns with a firing range of up to 40 km and plans to increase it to 120 km in the future took over combat duty. This was stated to Izvestia by Russian Ambassador to Oslo Nikolai Korchunov.
— Another 24 such installations will be transferred to the Finmark team by the end of 2028. By 2030, the Norwegian Armed Forces will receive 16 launchers of the South Korean K239 Chunmoo MLRS and missiles with a range of up to 500 km. It is planned to create a separate artillery battalion in another northern Norwegian province of Troms. The Northern Fleet and Russia's strategic facilities on the Kola Peninsula will be in range," the diplomat said.
The Russian Ambassador stressed that the approach of long-range offensive weapons systems of NATO countries to the Russian borders poses a threat. The escalation of unhealthy hype and confrontational activities of the alliance increases the risks of unintended escalation and descent into a direct military clash. According to him, "the relevant assessments are communicated to the Norwegian side both publicly and during contacts through diplomatic and military-diplomatic channels."
The new self—propelled guns are only part of Oslo's efforts to build up military power. By 2029, a joint Norwegian and German Navy submarine maintenance center will be built at the main naval base of Haakonsvern. The joint NATO Air Operations Center was officially opened in the city of Buda last year. Norway's defense budget expenditures are also growing: by 2035, they should increase to 3.5% of GDP. This policy in Oslo is explained by Russia's actions and the changing situation in Europe.
Politically, Norway is striving to turn Northern Europe into the most integrated military region of the continent, strengthening its ties with the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the United States and its NATO neighbors, Pavel Anisimov, Deputy Director of the Institute of International Relations and Political Sciences at the Russian State University of Economics, told Izvestia. At the same time, Norwegian society as a whole does not look militaristic. This is rather a reaction to events in Ukraine, concerns about the Arctic, critical infrastructure, and Europe's dependence on American guarantees, the expert believes.
Militarization of Sweden and Finland
Neighboring Sweden, which renounced neutrality and joined NATO in March 2024, is also acquiring long-range weapons. The Royal Air Force has already ordered Taurus cruise missiles with a range of about 500 km for its Gripen fighters. The purchase of French MdCN sea-based missiles with a range of 1.4 thousand km is being discussed. Stockholm needs missiles capable of covering distances up to 2 thousand km, Defense Minister Pal Johnson said last year.
The atmosphere of anti-Russian hysteria is deliberately maintained in the Swedish political elite and in the mainstream media. The thesis that Russia is the main threat to Sweden's security is actively being promoted in public opinion, the Russian Embassy in Stockholm told Izvestia.
— There are unsubstantiated arguments about Russia's alleged aggression and our country's intention to "test NATO's strength." The idea of almost no alternative preparation for the coming war with us is being imposed on the population. Naturally, such a massive processing of public opinion does not go unnoticed," the Russian diplomatic mission in Sweden noted.
The defense item in the Swedish state budget has quadrupled over the past six years, pushing aside healthcare and social security. About $19 billion has been allocated for military spending this year, compared with $8 billion in 2022. Moreover, most of the funds are allocated specifically for the purchase of new weapons.
Neighboring Finland is also strengthening its missile arsenal. After joining NATO, Helsinki signed a contract for the purchase of inconspicuous high-precision cruise missiles JASSM-ER with a range of up to 1,000 km. These missiles will be equipped with new American F-35A fighters, which Finland is starting to receive instead of the aging F/A-18 Hornet. In addition, multinational ground forces of the alliance are stationed in Finland, and exercises are regularly held in the country.
Dialogue between Russia and the Nordic countries
All three northern countries attribute the purchase of long-range weapons to threats from Moscow. Russian officials have repeatedly denied plans to attack the countries of the alliance. Some members of the bloc openly admit that such a scenario is unrealistic. For example, Acting Romanian Defense Minister Radu Mirutse said in late August that he did not believe Russia was preparing for an attack on NATO.
Aggression against the Russian Federation by its northern neighbors is also unlikely, since they have neither the political logic nor a sufficient independent mass of armed forces for this, Pavel Anisimov believes. However, the military strengthening of the Nordic countries is dangerous for Russia in another sense: the freedom of maneuver of Russian forces in the Norwegian, Barents and Baltic Seas is decreasing, and NATO's ability to monitor the activities of the Northern Fleet and cover sea routes is growing. In addition, the risk of escalation increases due to the higher intensity of exercises, patrols and military activity near the borders.
Moscow responds to these actions by recreating the Leningrad Military District and forming an army corps in Karelia. The Baltic and Northern Fleets are actively equipped with Zircon hypersonic missiles and Kalibr cruise missiles. At the same time, Russia is ready to restore relations with European countries, as officials have repeatedly stressed. For example, Norway maintains contacts with the Russian Federation through the border services and the military. Pavel Anisimov believes that a similar technical dialogue can be established with other countries in the region. Although, according to the expert, it will not be of a political and strategic nature in its former broad sense.
The resumption of military dialogue is extremely important today due to the increase in drone incidents in a number of European countries. The Europeans, as a rule, unreasonably blame Moscow for them, despite Russia's repeated offers to participate in the investigation of such incidents.
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