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NATO steps up presence near Russia’s Arctic coast

05 August 2025 08:45 (UTC +04:00)

Four NATO members have conducted naval exercises in the Arctic waters as part of a broader deployment to patrol the High North, the alliance’s maritime command announced on social media on Monday, APA reports citing EURACTIV.

Ships from the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, and Germany took part in manoeuvres off Norway’s northern coast and the High North, aimed at “flexing the Alliance’s ability to work together,” according to NATO’s Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM).

The operation also aims to secure sea lanes and monitor undersea activity in the Arctic region, a strategically important area home to critical infrastructure, including undersea cables connecting mainland Europe to Norway’s Svalbard archipelago.

While NATO maintains a regular eye on northern European waters, it periodically intensifies surveillance and training in the region.

The aim is “to increase the Alliance’s understanding the maritime environment, enhance information sharing, and rehearse navigational manoeuvres,” Commander Arlo Abrahamson, spokesperson for NATO’s Allied Maritime Command, told Euractiv.