Authorities linked to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) announced this Wednesday (11) the start of a mission aimed at reinforcing its presence in the Arctic, called “Arctic Sentinel” (Arctic Sentryin English).
“We will leverage NATO’s strength to protect our territory and ensure that the Arctic and the Far North remain safe,” argued US Air Force General Alexus G. Grynkewich, the military alliance’s top commander in Europe, when announcing the operation.
The initiative follows the meeting held last month in Davos between US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, in which they agreed that the Atlantic Alliance should collectively assume “greater responsibility for the defense of the region, taking into account Russia’s military activity and China’s growing interest in the area”, according to the Allied Military Headquarters (SHAPE) in a statement.
The organization will increase troop numbers in the so-called “Northern Cape”, which includes parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland within the Arctic Circle. The mission aims to reinforce military and surveillance capabilities in the disputed region.
European sources detailed the Reuters that the “Arctic Sentinel” could involve military exercises, sending additional vessels and aerial assets to the region, including drones.
According to the newspaper The New York TimesNATO is also expected to intensify maritime patrols in the Norwegian Sea and, subsequently, in the waterways between Greenland, Iceland and the United Kingdom.
The British Ministry of Defense announced this Wednesday that it will double the number of military personnel deployed in Norway to “confront Russian threats”. The plan foresees a contingent of at least two thousand soldiers who will be deployed over three years in the region.
The British marines lead the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) in the Arctic, which also includes Nordic and Baltic countries, but is not part of NATO.
“The Arctic has obviously become a priority for the alliance, and the alliance is responding to that demand,” US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker told reporters on Tuesday.
A European official told Reuters, on condition of anonymity, that the new mission seeks to “further strengthen our deterrence and defense in the region, particularly in light of Russia’s military activity and China’s growing interest in the High North.”
The Arctic Sentinel will be directed by the Joint Forces Command in Norfolk, Virginia (USA), which has been responsible for the Arctic region since December.
For some analysts, the announcement has the secondary objective of showing President Donald Trump that the Arctic is a priority for the organization, following the American’s pressure for control of Greenland.
According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), since last year, Russia has carried out at least 33 military maneuvers in the Arctic and made a point of showing off its modernized bombers, fighters and nuclear-capable submarines.
