Moscow: NATO Reinforces Its Military Presence in the Arctic "Without Justification"

The Director of the European Affairs Department at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Vladislav Maslennikov, revealed today, Saturday, that NATO has been rapidly and unjustifiably increasing its military presence and intensifying its exercises in the Arctic region "recently.. quickly and without justification."

Maslennikov stated in remarks to Sputnik: "Recently, NATO member countries have been enhancing their military presence and intensifying their maneuvers in the Arctic region, quickly and without justification."

Maslennikov pointed out that in February of this year, a permanent NATO mission called "Arctic Guardian" was launched, under which the alliance's joint military exercises in the far north of Russia and the polar regions were transferred.

The Russian diplomat noted that the "Northern Viking" exercises, which took place in Iceland under U.S. leadership from August 22 to September 3, align with NATO's goal of turning the Arctic into a geopolitical confrontation area with Russia and its partners.

Sputnik reported that Russia has recorded an increasing activity of NATO in the Arctic region in recent years, "and Moscow considers these steps a threat to its national security in the region, while the alliance claims that its activities are of a defensive nature."