NATO to Establish Naval Center Near Russia
Norway is set to create an amphibious center aimed at offering training for NATO marines. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Norway is set to establish a new Arctic and amphibious warfare center for NATO, aimed at training personnel from the US, UK, and Dutch marines amid increasing tensions with Russia, as announced by the Defense Ministry in Oslo on Friday.
The new facility will be located in Sorreisa, a municipality in the northern part of Norway, several hundred kilometers from Russia's Murmansk, a significant military and naval base for Russia.
The center is expected to accommodate several hundred soldiers and aims to be fully operational by 2026.
“We must train together to be able to defend Norway, the Nordic countries and NATO in crisis and war,” stated Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram, who emphasized that Norway is now “in a more serious security policy situation.”
The minister further expressed, “We want an increased allied presence in Norway. More training and practice is good for Norwegian security. We need allies to be familiar with the Norwegian climate and weather conditions. We also need to practice together in case the need arises. So this is a desirable development.”
He also highlighted that the new center will maintain close connections with other military installations nearby, which he believes will be highly advantageous for NATO.
This announcement follows the Norwegian government's plan introduced earlier this spring for a significant boost in defense spending. The aim is to invest $54 billion in the military from 2024 to 2036. As part of this plan, Oslo intends to acquire its first long-range air defense system, expand the army from one to three brigades, and increase the size of the Home Guard to 45,000 troops.
In response, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated in September that Moscow would counter NATO's expanding influence in the region. “We see how NATO is stepping up exercises related to possible crises in the Arctic. Our country is fully prepared to defend its interests in military, political and military-technical terms,” he remarked at the time.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
The new facility will be located in Sorreisa, a municipality in the northern part of Norway, several hundred kilometers from Russia's Murmansk, a significant military and naval base for Russia.
The center is expected to accommodate several hundred soldiers and aims to be fully operational by 2026.
“We must train together to be able to defend Norway, the Nordic countries and NATO in crisis and war,” stated Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram, who emphasized that Norway is now “in a more serious security policy situation.”
The minister further expressed, “We want an increased allied presence in Norway. More training and practice is good for Norwegian security. We need allies to be familiar with the Norwegian climate and weather conditions. We also need to practice together in case the need arises. So this is a desirable development.”
He also highlighted that the new center will maintain close connections with other military installations nearby, which he believes will be highly advantageous for NATO.
This announcement follows the Norwegian government's plan introduced earlier this spring for a significant boost in defense spending. The aim is to invest $54 billion in the military from 2024 to 2036. As part of this plan, Oslo intends to acquire its first long-range air defense system, expand the army from one to three brigades, and increase the size of the Home Guard to 45,000 troops.
In response, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov indicated in September that Moscow would counter NATO's expanding influence in the region. “We see how NATO is stepping up exercises related to possible crises in the Arctic. Our country is fully prepared to defend its interests in military, political and military-technical terms,” he remarked at the time.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
