Norway warns Russia could target its territory to shield nuclear forces

Norway’s top military commander has said that Oslo cannot rule out the possibility of a future Russian move against the country, warning that Moscow could seek to secure its strategic nuclear assets based in the far north.

Speaking about potential threat scenarios, Norway’s Chief of Defence Gen Eirik Kristoffersen said that while Russia does not appear to have territorial ambitions toward Norway comparable to its actions in Ukraine or other former Soviet states, a limited land incursion remains a possibility.

“We don’t exclude a land grab from Russia as part of their plan to protect their own nuclear capabilities, which is the only thing they have left that actually threatens the United States,” Kristoffersen said.

He noted that a significant portion of Russia’s nuclear forces is concentrated on the Kola Peninsula, close to Norway’s northern border. The area hosts nuclear submarines, land-based missile systems and nuclear-capable aircraft, assets that would be central to Russia’s ability to conduct a second nuclear strike if it were to become involved in a broader conflict with NATO.

“For that reason, we don’t take it off the table,” Kristoffersen said. “It remains an option for Russia if it wants to ensure that its nuclear and second-strike capabilities are protected. That is the kind of high-north scenario we plan for.”

In an extensive interview with the Guardian, Kristoffersen also sharply criticised recent remarks by US President Donald Trump, including comments about Greenland and claims that allied nations had not played frontline roles during the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

“It didn’t make sense what he said, and I know that all my American friends from Afghanistan know that,” said Kristoffersen, a 56-year-old career army officer who completed several deployments there.

He stressed that Norwegian forces were heavily involved in combat operations. “We were definitely on the frontline. We carried out the full spectrum of missions — arresting Taliban leaders, training Afghan forces and conducting surveillance,” he said, adding that Norway lost 10 soldiers during the campaign. “I lost friends there. So for all of us, those comments didn’t make sense.”

Kristoffersen said he was personally not affected by Trump’s remarks, describing them as typical of the US president. “I never saw him in Afghanistan. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about when he says these things. A president should not say these things,” he said. However, he added that his concern was for Norwegian veterans and the families of fallen soldiers.

Since becoming Norway’s chief of defence in 2020, Kristoffersen has overseen a period of major change for the country’s armed forces and intelligence service. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced a reassessment of European security, while Sweden and Finland have joined Norway in NATO, and Oslo has reinforced its northern border areas with Russia.

While Norway continues to plan for the possibility of a conventional Russian military move, Kristoffersen said Moscow’s current approach relies more on indirect and hybrid methods. “If you prepare for the worst, there is nothing that prevents you from also being able to counter sabotage and more hybrid threats,” he said.

At the same time, he emphasised that some practical cooperation with Russia remains in place. Norway and Russia continue to maintain direct contacts on search-and-rescue operations in the Barents Sea, and military representatives from both sides meet regularly at the border.

Kristoffersen said he has proposed establishing a direct military hotline between Oslo and Moscow to reduce the risk of escalation caused by misunderstandings. He added that Russian behaviour in the far north has generally been less aggressive than in the Baltic region.

“So far, what we’ve seen with airspace violations in our area has mostly been due to misunderstandings,” he said, noting that Russia carries out extensive GPS jamming, which Norway believes also affects Russian aircraft. “When violations occur, it’s usually linked to pilots’ lack of experience. When we raise these issues with the Russians, they respond in a professional and predictable manner.”

Addressing the status of Norway’s Arctic territory of Svalbard, Kristoffersen said Russia has so far respected the terms of the 1920 treaty that prohibits the archipelago’s militarisation, despite the presence of a Russian settlement there. He stressed that Norway has no plans to militarise the territory.

Moscow has accused Oslo of quietly militarising Svalbard, but Kristoffersen dismissed the allegation as a propaganda claim. He said Norway believes Russia itself does not genuinely accept that narrative.

By Tamilla Hasanova