NATO launches Operation Arctic Guardian, tens of thousands of troops and ships take part in polar exercises
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that the North Atlantic Alliance has launched Operation Arctic Sentry to ensure a military presence in the polar latitudes.
“Tens of thousands of NATO troops and dozens of ships will take part in the planned exercises of this operation. The mission is carried out under the NATO Joint Force Command in Norfolk (JFC Norfolk) and in the northern parts of continental Europe,” Rutte said.
Reuters previously reported that the operation aims to expand NATO’s military presence in the Arctic, coordinate the activities of coalition forces and hold exercises similar to the Arctic Endurance exercise in Greenland (Denmark) to strengthen the ability to operate in extreme cold conditions.
This mission may include extensive exercises, enhanced air and maritime surveillance, the deployment of more ships, and an increased presence of drones and aerial tools in the region.
Martin O’Donnell, the representative of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SHAPE), announced on February 3 that NATO member states have begun planning for surveillance operations in the Arctic following the escalation of the situation around Greenland.
In response to this decision, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Wednesday that if Greenland is militarized and military capabilities are built against Russia in this region, Moscow will take appropriate countermeasures, including military action.
