On Tuesday, a Norwegian Orion aircraft from the Air Force followed five Russian vessels off the Norwegian coast. The exercise was announced, and the Armed Forces were prepared.
The Norwegian aircraft P-3C Orion was on a routine mission, and the exercise from Russia was announced, the Armed Forces announced on Tuesday night.
The plane, which is stationed on Andøya on a daily basis, followed a group of Russian vessels south along the Norwegian coast in the waters north of Finnmark.
The five Russian vessels included an Admiral Gorchkov-class frigate, a Udaloy-class anti-submarine destroyer, a Slava-class cruiser, and two Kaliningradneft (tankers).
Legal assignment
The Russian vessels sailed legally in international waters, but Norway continuously follows all movements in neighboring Norwegian areas, the Armed Forces reported.
“An announced and expected activity,” lieutenant colonel Ivar Moen at the Armed Forces’ operational headquarters (FOH) told the newspaper VG.
He says that the situation in the north is calm.
“The activity was carried out in a professional way. We have respect for Russian military activity in the same way as they respect our activity. Both comply with laws, rules, and agreements,” he told VG.
Earlier this week, Russia announced that it would conduct a series of maritime military exercises. The military exercises will take place in the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, the North Sea, and the Mediterranean. More than 140 warships and support vessels will participate in the exercises.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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