The head of the Norwegian army, General Eirik Kristoffersen, has stated that Oslo cannot rule out the possibility of a future Russian invasion of the country, suggesting that Moscow could act against Norway to protect its nuclear assets stationed in the far north.
"We do not rule out the possibility of Russia taking territory as part of their plan to protect their nuclear capabilities, which are the only thing they have left and which really pose a threat to the United States of America," Kristoffersen said.
He acknowledged that Russia has no aggressive intentions in Norway in the same way it has in Ukraine or other former Soviet territories, but noted that a large part of Russia's nuclear arsenal is located on the Kola Peninsula, a short distance from the Norwegian border, including nuclear submarines, land-based missiles and nuclear-capable aircraft. This would be key if Russia were to come into conflict with NATO elsewhere.
"We do not rule this out, because this still remains an option for Russia to ensure the protection of its nuclear capabilities, second-strike capabilities. This is roughly the scenario for the far north that we are planning for," he said.
The Norwegian general says that NATO has two to three years to prepare for confrontation with Russia
In a long interview for The GuardianKristoffersen also sharply criticized US President Donald Trump's recent comments about Greenland, as well as claims that allied countries had not served on the front lines in Afghanistan, while US troops had carried out most of the fighting.
"What he said made no sense, and I know all my American friends from Afghanistan know that," said Kristoffersen, a career military officer who has served several missions in Afghanistan.
Kristoffersen has been Norway's defense chief since 2020, responsible for the country's armed forces as well as its intelligence service. This has been a period of intense change, as the Russian invasion of Ukraine forced a review of the European security architecture; neighboring countries Sweden and Finland joined Norway in the NATO alliance, while the country strengthened its border areas with Russia in the far north.
He added that Norway and Russia continue to maintain direct contact regarding search and rescue missions in the Barents Sea and that regular meetings are held at the border between representatives of the two militaries.
He also recommended the establishment of a military hotline between the two capitals to avoid escalating situations based on misunderstandings. He said that Russian actions in the far north have been largely less aggressive than those in the Baltic Sea. /Telegraph/
