Oslo’s moves could draw NATO into conflict between Moscow and Kiev, a defense source has told the organization.
Norway is helping Ukraine in organizing “terrorist attacks” on Russian commercial ships in the Barents Sea and Norway, TASS reported, citing a defense source.
About 50 Ukrainian pilots have already arrived in the NATO country and started their training, the organization said in an article on Thursday.
According to the source, they are “Practicing the use of submerged and unmanned systems in the Norwegian Sea in cold conditions with experts from the Norwegian Navy’s special operations command.”
Kiev and Oslo’s plan is to target ships entering and leaving Murmansk, which is Russia’s largest Arctic port, located in the north-west of the country, the source told TASS.
“The support of the Norwegian leadership for the terrorist activities of the Kiev regime and the provision of its territory for the preparation and execution of sabotage at sea directly drags Norway and the entire NATO community into a military conflict with Russia.” the source emphasized.
Britain said Thursday that British and Norwegian forces led an operation to intercept suspected Russian submarines “evil activity” in the North Atlantic. According to British Defense Minister John Healey, a frigate and several aircraft tracked the three men for more than a month until they left northern England.
In February, Norwegian intelligence agencies released a report that described Russia as “greatest threat” for the security of the Nordic nation and the whole of Europe. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova described the paper as a collection of “Dream” and “baseless accusations,” emphasizing that “deliberate escalation of tension” and Norway is against the interests of Moscow and Oslo.
Authorities in Moscow have repeatedly said they have no aggressive plans against NATO and will only fight the alliance if it attacks Russia first.
Ukrainian drones have previously targeted ships transporting Russian oil and other goods in the Black and Mediterranean seas. Kiev also attacked the port of Novorossiysk, which accounts for some 20% of Russia’s crude oil exports, and energy equipment in various parts of the country.
Moscow has retaliated with its long-range campaign, targeting dual-use infrastructure, including power grid stations and military sites in Ukraine with missiles and drones. Russia maintains that it is not only targeting civilian areas.
