Russia accuses Norway of militarizing Svalbard Arctic islands
Russia accused Norway of militarizing the Svalbard archipelago and said on Friday it had summoned the Norwegian ambassador to Moscow over the matter.
“Moscow called on the Norwegian side to renounce any activity that undermines the international legal foundations of the archipelago’s regime,” a statement by the Russian foreign ministry said.
It added such activity could lead to escalating tension or increase conflict potential in the Spitsbergen territory.
Spitsbergen is the largest island in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago, located roughly halfway between the North Pole and the European mainland.
The Norwegian foreign ministry did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Svalbard is governed under a 1920 treaty giving Norway sovereignty but allowing citizens of signatory states to settle there without a Norwegian visa.
The treaty restricts the military uses of the archipelago, but the islands are not a demilitarized zone.
There are two Russian settlements on the island, Barentsburg and Pyramiden, with some 340 residents currently, out of a total population of 2,945, according to Statistics Norway. Norway is NATO’s monitor for the vast 2 million square kilometer area of the North Atlantic used by the Russian northern fleet’s nuclear submarines. The area Norway monitors includes the waters between Svalbard and the mainland.
Russia has in the past accused Norway of militarizing Svalbard.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Feds backtrack on characterizing northern military spending as new, CBC News
Finland: Finnish Defence Minister tells party leaders shrinking fighter fleet would be “irresponsible”, Yle News
Greenland: Greenlanders vote in election dominated by Trump’s control pledge, Reuters
Iceland: Iceland’s FM announces defence review, calls revamped security policy ‘urgent’, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: NATO’s Arctic dilemma: Two visions of the Arctic collide as NATO and Russia flex muscles, Eye on the Arctic special report
Russia: Russian gov promises new weapons while approval ratings slide, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: U.S. shows strength on the one-year anniversary of Sweden’s accession to NATO, The Independent Barents Observer
United States: U.S. experts call for ‘vigilance’ on Russian military buildup in Arctic, Alaska Public Media
