The Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces announced the risk of an invasion by the Russian Federation: the country is preparing for such a scenario

Erik Kristoffersen. Photo: Getty Images

The Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces, General Eirik Kristoffersen, said that Oslo cannot rule out the possibility of a Russian invasion, and stressed that the country is already preparing for a scenario in which Moscow tries to seize part of Norwegian territory.

Source: Kristoffersen’s interview with the publication The Guardian

Details: According to the general, Russia may resort to a ground invasion to secure its nuclear arsenal located on the Kola Peninsula near the Norwegian border. Kristoffersen emphasized that these capabilities, including nuclear submarines and missiles, are the only Russian resource that really threatens the United States.

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Direct speech: “We don’t rule out that possibility, because Russia is still capable of doing that to protect its nuclear capability and second-strike capabilities. That’s the scenario in the far north that we’re preparing for.”

Details: Kristoffersen noted that although Russia does not currently aim to completely subjugate Norway, control over Norwegian territories could become strategically necessary for Moscow in the event of a conflict with NATO. He added that the training of the Norwegian army includes both repelling a traditional attack and countering hybrid threats and sabotage.

“If you’re preparing for the worst-case scenario, it doesn’t stop you from countering sabotage and hybrid threats at the same time,” he said.

Regarding the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, on which the Russian settlement is located and which, according to the 1920 treaty, has the status of a demilitarized zone, Kristoffersen noted that Russia “obeys the agreement” and Norway does not plan to deploy armed forces there.

Commenting on the war in Ukraine, the general warned Moscow that maintaining the occupied territories inevitably becomes excessively expensive and tiring. He stressed: if the population rejects the occupation, the aggressor will always be defeated in the end.

“It’s often very easy to capture territory, but it’s very, very difficult to keep it under your authority. And I think all expansionist states have faced this,” Kristoffersen emphasized.

Prehistory:

• Formerly Kristoffersen declaredthat NATO has a window of two to three years to build up defense capabilities before Russia prepares its forces to attack the Alliance.

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