Norway to Establish Own Brigade to Strengthen Military Presence on Russian Border
Norway’s Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, announced in an interview with VG that the country will establish its own brigade to strengthen its military presence on the border with Russia, thus violating a long-standing ban on such activities. This move contravenes a prohibition on military activities in the area that has been in place since the 1950s.
Eide stated, “It’s a new NATO line – we must defend every inch of our territory. That’s why we need to strengthen our presence in Finnmark and that’s why we’re now establishing the Finnmark Brigade.”
When asked if Norway would reevaluate the ban on military activities in the area, Eide replied that he could not provide any new information on the topic but suggested that “it’s natural to consider changes within the principles of deterrence and intimidation.”
The Norwegian authorities have since the 1950s imposed internal restrictions on military activities in the area near the border with the Soviet Union and later Russia. In particular, a ban on NATO exercises east of the 24th meridian east still remains in effect, with the imaginary border passing through the city of Hammerfest.
Russia has in recent years complained of a never-before-seen level of NATO activity near its borders and has repeatedly expressed its concern about the matter. The NATO, in turn, describes its initiatives as “deterrent measures against Russian aggression.” The Kremlin has emphasized that Russia poses no threat to anyone but will not ignore actions that could be dangerous to its interests.