Researcher: – Russia considers Norway an outpost

RussianRussian flag.Photo wikipedia Commons

Russia looks at Norway as an American outpost with limited opportunity to determine their own foreign policy, thinks defense researcher Tor Bukkvoll.

After NATO decided to deploy forces in the Baltics and Poland during the summit in Warsaw, tensions increased between NATO and Russia – which also affects the relationship between Russia and Norway, writes the newspaper Klassekampen.

– Russia sees that these forces are too small and light to pose a threat. But they fear that this is the start of a gradual major military build-up against the border areas, says researcher Tor Bukkvoll from Defence Research Establishment (FFI). As with Tormod Heier at National Defence College, Bukkvoll believes that Russia might wish to violate Norwegian territory to protect nuclear forces on the Kola Peninsula in an emergency.

– During the Soviet era there were plans for an expanded security zone, which may conflict with Norwegian interests. It is not excluded that they still have the same view.

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today