To fly fra det amerikanske luftforsvaret har de siste dagene utført tokt over Barentshavet, blant annet opp mot den russiske, arktiske øya Novaja Semlja. I en uttalelse mandag 18. september skriver det russiske forsvarsdepartementet at russisk luftromkontroll over Barentshavet oppdaget et luftobjekt som nærmet seg Russlands statsgrense.

En MiG-31-fighter fra Nordlåften ble ”scramblet” for identifisere målet, som ifølge departementet skal ha vært et US Navy P-8A Poseidon maritimt patruljefly. Det amerikanske militærflyet snudde da det russiske jagerflyet nærmet seg, og det opplyses om at det ikke var noen brudd på statsgrensen til Russland.

Tirsdag ble en annen amerikansk militær flyvning utført over Barentshavet, og denne gangen opp mot Novaja Semlja.

Russland har de siste årene oppgradert militær infrastruktur på denne øya. Blant annet er skvadroner av MiG-31 avskjæringsfly stasjonert på Rogatsjovo på Novaja Semlja. Läs artikel

I höst är det 50 år sedan IB-avslöjarna Peter Bratt och Jan Guillou greps och åtalades. I artiklar publicerade i Folket i Bild/Kulturfront under våren och början av hösten 1973 hade de avslöjat att Sverige hade en hemlig underrättelse- och säkerhetstjänst, IB. Förutom att skicka ut agenter till andra länder för informationsinhämtning sysslade IB även med att, i strid med lag, spana på vänstergrupper och fackföreningar.

Som regel är det ju bara utgivaren av en tidning som kan ställas till svars för påstått brottsligt innehåll i tidningen. Då prövas målet av en jury. Varken Bratt eller Guillou var utgivare för FiB/K. När de dömdes för spioneri i januari 1974, tillämpade tingsrätten emellertid en undantagsbestämmelse i tryckfrihetsförordningen (TF) 7 kapitlet 3 §.  Denna öppnade för att i vanligt brottmål – utan jury således – döma en meddelare, som genom att lämna uppgifter till tidningen hade gjort sig skyldig till ett grovt brott mot rikets säkerhet. Bratt och Guillou ansågs ha intagit ställning av meddelare.  Läs artikel

Last week, Russia’s Pacific Fleet launched Finval-2023 major exercise into the Chukci Sea north of Siberia and now the Northern Fleet joins from the western part of the Arctic.

On the schedule is protection of coast civilian infrastructure, Northern Fleet facilities, study areas for combat operations and live fire, as well as conducting anti-terrorist operations by isolating areas, blocking and destroying them, a press release from the Headquarters in Severomorsk says.

“Practical operations of the forces and troops of the Northern Fleet will take place in the waters of the Barents-, Kara- and East Siberian Seas.” The exercise involves up to 1,800 people.

In the east, coastal batteries of the type Bal and Bastion are applied, the Barents Observer reported on Monday as the US Coast Guard icebreaker “Healy” currently is sailing north of Siberia from Alaska towards Tromsø, northern Norway. Läs artikel

NATO is currently improving its deterrence and defence posture. It is simultaneously shifting its military strategy from a model of deterrence by reinforcement to one of deterrence by denial.

NATO’s evolving posture and strategy in Northern Europe should be underpinned by a more explicit division of labour. The regional allies and stakeholders can be divided into four categories in terms of their role in regional security: frontline nations, hubs, security providers and the ultimate security guarantor. […]

Finland’s role as a frontline nation is indisputable. Its land border with Russia is longer than that of any other ally. More importantly, Finland is located close to two vital Russian strategic locations – the St. Petersburg region and Kola Peninsula. Finland’s ability to defend its territory directly protects Northern Sweden and the critical coasts of Northern Norway, which are needed to control the North Atlantic sea lines. The defence of these vital maritime routes thus starts from Finnish Lapland. Furthermore, the Finnish territory provides NATO with additional strategic depth for defending the Baltic states, particularly Estonia. As a new ally, Finland must be particularly mindful of developing its capacity to receive and host allied reinforcements.

For Sweden, NATO membership may result in a major transformation in its national defence identity. During the Cold War, as a non-aligned country, Sweden built a formidable defence capacity aimed at denying Soviet armed aggression through Finland and across the Baltic Sea. As a NATO ally, it will primarily act as a staging area, facilitating onward-moving reinforcements for operations in Finland and the Baltic states. This role as a hub would also entail acquiring capabilities and functions that would directly and indirectly support the defence of frontline nations, particularly in the land theatre of the European Arctic.

Norway’s clear priority remains the maritime domain of the European Arctic. It has a long coastline, and the adjacent sea areas constitute a vital buffer against Russian naval operations in the North Atlantic. Although its border with Russia makes it a frontline nation, it is also increasingly a hub facilitating allied operations in the frontline. For the first time, Norway shares a land border with its allies, which improves Norwegian security. However, it also means that it is no longer the sole destination of allied reinforcements in the North but also a reception area for forces moving towards the frontline. Indeed, its role in securing free sea lanes and facilitating allied reinforcements will gain importance.

Denmark is currently rebuilding its territorial capabilities. From a geostrategic point of view, as during the Cold War, it remains the guardian of the Danish straits, which connect the Baltic Sea to the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It therefore plays a significant role in defending the sea lines in its adjacent sea areas. This is a task that demands considerable naval capabilities. Unlike during the Cold War, Denmark is not a frontline nation. Rather, it is a hub, offering a potential transit and base area for allied forces. It could also provide direct support for allies, most notably the Baltic states. Currently, its troops are present in Estonia and Latvia, and it is one of the framework nations of Headquarters Multinational Division North in Latvia. Läs  studien

Det ungerska parlamentet kommer inte att behandla den svenska Natoansökan när det öppnar nästa vecka, då frågan inte finns med på agendan.

Parlamentet öppnar 25 september och under tisdagseftermiddagen beslutades vilka ärenden som ska tas upp. Enligt oppositionspolitikern Agnes Vadai är inte Sveriges Natoansökan med.

Det sker efter att ungerska politiker den senaste tiden kritiserat Sverige. Bl.a. har ungerska utrikesministern sagt att Natointrädet kan påverkas av ett gammalt klipp från UR där Ungerns demokrati beskrivs som på nedgång. Läs artikel

I helga møttes Natos forsvarssjefer i Oslo til konferanse i Natos militærkomité. Til stede lørdag var også Norges forsvarsminister Bjørn Arild Gram (Sp).

«Nato i nord» er punkt nummer én i Grams tale til de 31 allierte forsvarssjefene, samt sjefen for den svenske Försvarsmakten.

– Nordområdenes relevans som en scene for global konkurranse øker stadig. En stor del av Russlands kjernefysiske kapabiliteter er lokalisert på Kolahalvøya. Betydningen av slik kapabiliteter har vokst proporsjonalt med nedgangen i Russlands konvensjonelle kapabiliteter. […]

– Vår avskrekkende posisjonering i regionen vil vokse seg sterkere ettersom vi ønsker Finland og Sverige velkommen inn i alliansen. De allierte i regionen har et spesielt ansvar for å utvikle Natos avskrekking i nordområdene. Både når det gjelder troppebidrag og kalibrering av [avskrekkende, journ. anm.] posisjonering, sier Gram.

Kalibrering består i å drive avskrekking med visse modererende eller beroligende grep for å unngå å provosere russisk side.

Med Finlands inntreden i Nato og Sveriges nærliggende medlemskap, har Norges selvpålagte militære restriksjoner for slik justering kommet i spill. Flere har pekt på behovet for viss samkjøring med finsk og svensk side på dette feltet.

I ovennevnte utsagn synes forsvarsministeren å ta til orde for at utformingen og utføringen av avskrekking i nord i første rekke skal være et nordisk anliggende – heller enn at definisjonsmakten deles for mye med og arbeidsbyrden faller for mye på andre allierte, eksempelvis amerikanerne og britene.[…]

– Med alle de nordiske landene samlet i Nato, kan vi bedre høste fordelene av vårt veletablerte samarbeid ved å knytte alle nasjonene til Joint Force Command Norfolk. Mellom de nordiske nasjonene er det tett dialog om hvordan forsvarssamarbeidet bør utvikles for ikke bare å styrke forsvaret av denne regionen, men også for å gagne sikkerheten til alliansen som helhet.

– JFC Norfolk er på vei til å bli hovedkvarteret som er kapabelt til å ta styringen i den nordvestlige retningen. Vi må fortsette å forsterke vår innsats for å legge til rette for at dette kan skje før heller enn senere. Norge vil gjøre sitt for å sikre at JFC Norfolk skal møte kravene for å kunne lede sin regionale plan. Og SACEUR [Natos øverstkommanderende, journ. anm.] må bestemme når tida er inne, sier Gram.

Styrkekommandoen i Norfolk skal ha ansvaret for nordområdene og Atlanterhavet. Läs artikel

Army Gen. Mark Milley said a quick outcome to the war in Ukraine is unlikely, noting that a Ukrainian victory in the conflict is a “very high bar” and would take a “very long time.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has resisted negotiating a peace with Russia since the country’s invasion began more than a year and a half ago, citing unserious terms from Moscow. He said the best outcome would be to remove Russia from all Ukrainian territory.

“There’s well over 200,000 Russian troops in Russian-occupied Ukraine. This offensive, although significant, has operational and tactical objectives that are limited, in the sense that they do not — even if they are fully achieved — they don’t completely kick out all the Russians, which is the broader strategic objective that President Zelensky had,” Milley said in a CNN interview Sunday. Läs artikel

The Foreign Ministry in Moscow blames all the other members of the Barents cooperation for the current conditions.

“Under the current conditions, we are forced to announce the withdrawal of the Russian Federation from Barents Euro-Arctic Cooperation (BEAC),” the ministry writes in a press-release.

It is Finland that currently holds the chair of the cooperation for the current 2-year period. The Chair rotates bi-annually between Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Under normal circumstances, Finland should hand over the leadership to Russia this fall.

That will not happen.

“The Finnish presidency did not confirm its readiness to transfer leadership of BEAC to Russia in October 2023, in violation of the principle of rotation,” the ministry writes and adds that this is “disrupting the necessary preparatory measures.”

Established in 1993, in times of hope and openness, the Barents cooperation facilitated cross-border contacts between the northernmost regions of Finland, Sweden and Norway with northwest Russia.

The Nordic countries suspended their cooperation with Russia shortly after the full-scale invasion in February last year.

Established in 1993, in times of hope and openness, the Barents cooperation facilitated cross-border contacts between the northernmost regions of Finland, Sweden and Norway with northwest Russia.

The Nordic countries suspended their cooperation with Russia shortly after the full-scale invasion in February last year. Läs artikel

Enligt Turkiets president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan har Sverige inte uppfyllt villkoren i samförståndsavtalet om medlemskap i Nato. Detta har bland annat rapporterats av den statsägda kanalen TRT och nyhetsbyrån Anadolu.

Protesterna i Sverige, som Erdoğan kallade terroristdemonstrationer, menar han att är ett bevis på att Sverige inte kan bekämpa terrorism på ett effektivt sätt.

Erdoğan betonade att Sverige inte bara måste upprätta strängare terroristlagar, utan också måste kunna tillämpa dem. Läs  artikel

Det er rundt 20 prosent færre russiske soldater ved norskegrensa nå enn før invasjonen av Ukraina, sier forsvarssjefen.

Forsvarssjef Eirik Kristoffersen kom med anslaget da Natos forsvarssjefer var samlet i Oslo lørdag. Forsvaret har merket at aktiviteten på russisk side av grensen er mindre.

– Langs vår grense mot Russland, er det kanskje 20 prosent færre soldater nå enn det pleide å være før 24. februar 2022, sier Kristoffersen. (NTB) Läs artikel

Norwegian Minister of Defence, Mr Bjørn Arild Gram: Nato in the North

NATO is a cornerstone in Norway’s security policy today, as it has been since its foundation – and Norway takes active part in the shaping of NATO’s strategy throughout the alliance.

The relevance of the High North is steadily increasing as a stage for global competition.
A large portion of Russia’s nuclear capabilities are located at the Kola Peninsula, including its carriers. The importance of this capability has grown proportionally with the decline of Russia’s conventional capabilities.

The vast amount of natural resources in the High North is important to us all. Not only Norway and Russia. We share a common responsibility to exploit and preserve these resources both in our time, but also for future generations. In order to achieve that the baseline is security and predictability. NATO is – and will remain the most important security provider for peace and stability in the area.

Our deterrence posture in the region will grow stronger as we are welcoming Finland and Sweden into the Alliance.
The Allies in the region have a particular responsibility for developing NATO’s deterrence in the High North. […]

With all of the Nordic countries together in NATO, we can better reap the benefits of our well-established cooperation by affiliating all the nations to Joint Force Command Norfolk. This recommendation is based on sound military advice from all the Nordic CHODs.

Between the Nordic nations, there is a close dialogue on how the defence cooperation should develop to bolster not only the defence of this region, but also benefit the security of the alliance as a whole.

Joint Force Command Norfolk is on a path of becoming the HQ capable of taking charge in the north-western direction. We need to continue to bolster our effort to set the conditions for this to happen sooner, rather than later. Norway will do its part to ensure JFC Norfolk meet the requirements to command its regional plan. And SACEUR has to decide when the time has come. Läs artikel