NATO Exercises in Arctic Pose Direct Threats to Russia’s Security — Foreign Ministry
Finnish icebreaker MSV Nordica sails through sea ice floating on the Victoria Strait along the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. File photo.
Any NATO exercises in the Arctic increase the risk of incidents that could trigger a confrontation and pose direct threats to Russia’s security, Vladislav Maslennikov, the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s European issues department and Russia’s senior Arctic Council representative, said in an interview with Sputnik.»Like any NATO exercises in high latitudes, the ‘Northern Viking’ maneuvers contribute to an increased risk of incidents that could spark an armed confrontation and create direct threats to Russia’s security,» Maslennikov said. In recent years, Russia has been flagging up NATO’s unprecedented activity and buildup of troops near its western borders. The Kremlin has stated that Russia does not threaten anyone, but would not ignore actions that are potentially dangerous to its interests.
