MUNICH / OSLO (VG) Russia has started a major exercise in its nuclear system. Among other things, ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear weapons will be tested under the supervision of President Vladimir Putin.
–
Just before 11.30, the Kremlin tells several people Russian media that the exercises in the Barents Sea are underway. According to Reuters, the Kremlin reports that warships and submarines have fired cruise missiles and circus missiles at sea and land targets.
A large area in the Barents Sea is reserved for the exercise.
According to the Russian news agency TASS Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko have attended the exercise.
According to The Barents Observer is half the area in Norway’s economic zone. The danger warning is intended to warn civilians to stay away from the area.
At the same time as the exercise starts, it goes on Security Conference in Munich Saturday morning. There, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg repeats that NATO still sees no signs that Russia is doing as they have said and withdrawing troops from the border areas.
–– Dramatic and provocative
Ståle Ulriksen is a researcher and teacher at the Naval Academy. He believes the exercise is a form of reminder from Russia that they have large nuclear weapons.
– These strategic exercises tend to be in the autumn, that it comes now I perceive as a signal in connection with Ukraine and that Russia will remind the world that they have nuclear weapons and the ability to use them.
– I think it is quite dramatic and provocative as they have chosen to do it now, they have not done it that way before, Ulriksen says.
Russia uses to have such exercises. What is unusual is the time and the area they shoot.
– They usually shoot much further east. This is closer to land than usual, and much closer to Norway, says Ulriksen.
He interprets the timing as a message to the United States and the West, but the impact field for the missiles as a message to Norway. The latter may be related to the planned NATO exercise, Cold Reponse, which will be conducted in and around Norway in March and April.
–Largest in modern times
The Armed Forces does not wish to comment on any activity from other countries in the Barents Sea on Saturday morning, but refers to this quote from Major Elisabeth Eikeland to The Barents Observer a few days ago:
– The Russian NOTAM forecast is the largest since the Cold War. It is the largest in modern times.
The exercise is taking place as tensions around Ukraine increase.
Friday night to USA President Joe Biden that he is convinced that Russia will attack Ukraine in the next few days – and that the capital Kyiv is a target.
Minister of Defense Odd Roger Enoksen (Sp) commented on the exercise to VG in Brussels earlier this week:
– The danger area has been notified in the ordinary way. These are exercises that Russia conducts on a regular basis. We do not see anything extraordinary in it. The only difference is that these exercises usually take place in the autumn, now it is announced for February, he said then.
–
