The minister, quoted by Reuters, drew attention to the growing cooperation between Moscow and Beijing, which – as he emphasized – constitutes a serious challenge for NATO.
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The Kola Peninsula, located in northwestern Russia above the Arctic Circle, borders Norway and Finland.
Kola Peninsula
This is a strategic area of key economic and military importance. For years, Russia has been mining non-ferrous metals and rare earth elements there, but it is the military potential of this region that raises the greatest concerns.
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Experts cited by the Canadian station CBC estimate that the concentration of military forces on the Kola Peninsula may be greater than in any other place in the world. There are at least three air bases there, and Severomorsk serves as the main base of the Russian Navy's Northern Fleet.
Moreover, this region is crucial from the point of view of Russia's nuclear strategy. According to experts, Russia has placed about two-thirds of its second-strike nuclear potential there, i.e. the ability to respond to a nuclear attack. Six of the 12 strategic nuclear submarines are based off the Kola Peninsula, while the rest are deployed in Kamchatka.
For the Northern Fleet, the Barents Sea is the only route to the open Atlantic Ocean. This passage leads through the so-called GIUK gap – the maritime area between Greenland, Iceland and Great Britain.
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In the face of this information, the Norwegian Minister of Defense warned against downplaying Russia's activities in the Arctic. As he noted, despite the difficulties Moscow is struggling with, its activity in this region remains intense and requires attention from NATO.
