Another Russian shooting exercise outside Lofoten

Russian flagRussian flag.Photo:Pixabay

For the third time this month, the Russian Navy warned of a shooting exercise in Norway’s economic zone.This time, rockets were shot west of Lofoten.

 

The Russians have sent notices for flights and ships about the exercise in an area around 200 kilometers west of Stokmarknes from Tuesday to Thursday this
week,wrote Barents Observer newspaper. According to the notice, rocket launches will be tested.

While the Soviet Navy occasionally shot rockets in the Barents Sea during the cold war, such activities were rare west and south of Nordkapp. Recent exercises suggest a new pattern when Russia’s navy,for the first time since the cold war, announced
exercises with live ammunition in the North Sea.

Ålesund and Berlevåg

The first exercise was announced outside Ålesund on 1-3. November, in an area a NATO vessel sailed through in connection with the exercise Trident Juncture in
Norway.Russian ships sailed through the area as notified,but no shots were fired.

Then there was an exercise 20-40 nautical miles north of Berlevåg between the 6th and 9th of November. Missiles were shot and there was navigational training. Among the ships that participated was the nuclear-powered missile cruiser, Pjotr Velikij, Peter the Great.

Orion plane on the ground

At the same time as the Russians practice in the North Sea,the AldriMer.no website announces that all the Orion surveillance aircraft of the Armed Forces were on the ground.

It’s been 10 days since the Orion aircraft have been on the wing,which according to the website is due to lack of crew and available aircraft. Defence sources reported that inspectors came to Andøya Airport on Wednesday to investigate cracking in the chassis on at least one of the surveillance aircraft.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today