Russia’s Northern Fleet has begun exercises in the Arctic, with 20 ships and about 1,500 personnel involved, the Interfax news agency reported on Tuesday, citing the fleet command.
“In these manoeuvres, the military leadership is exercising the Northern Fleet in the control of forces and units for the protection of maritime communications and the defence of Russia’s military and civilian infrastructure in the Arctic,” the Northern Fleet press release said.
It said the operation under fleet commander Konstantin Kabantsov had been scheduled and added that it would last a few days without being more precise.
President Vladimir Putin has described the Arctic as strategically important region for Russia and recently alleged that NATO plans to turn the area into a bridgehead for possible conflict.
He has pointed out that NATO troops from Finland and Sweden would also be deployed in the region.
Finland and Sweden joined the alliance out of security concerns following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia would not allow itself to be pushed out of the Arctic, Putin said.
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