Kathrine Frich
The Arctic is rapidly moving from a remote frontier to a central security concern.
What was once seen as a regional issue is now drawing the full attention of NATO.
Northern European countries warn that Russia’s growing presence, combined with nuclear risks and global competition, could turn parts of the Arctic into flashpoints in any future conflict.
A shared NATO concern
Nordic governments see the renewed focus on Arctic security as a chance to push NATO to treat the region as a collective defense priority.
According to the Financial Times, Norwegian Defense Minister Tore Sandvik said Arctic security is no longer limited to the High North.
“Security in the Arctic is a territorial defense issue for Washington, for London, for Paris, for Berlin, for the entire alliance,” Sandvik warned.
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen echoed that view, saying NATO “needs to get more involved in the Arctic,” calling it an alliance-wide responsibility.
Russia’s military edge
Russia holds a dominant position in the Arctic, controlling roughly half of the region’s territory and waters. Since the early 2000s,
Moscow has expanded both its economic and military footprint there, well ahead of Western powers.
Russia now operates more than 40 military installations along its Arctic coastline, including airfields, radar stations and ports.
The Kola Peninsula is the most heavily militarized area and hosts the main base of Russia’s Northern Fleet in Severomorsk.
“The Northern Fleet, especially its submarines, is a key pillar of Russia’s strategic deterrence strategy,” said Ondrej Ditrych of the European Union Institute for Security Studies.
Nuclear stakes
The Arctic plays a critical role in Russia’s nuclear doctrine.
Missiles launched from the Kola Peninsula would take the shortest route to the United States over the Arctic and near Greenland.
“An intercontinental ballistic missile descends at a speed of 7 kilometers per second and takes 18 minutes from launch to reach a major US city,” Sandvik said.
Russia also maintains readiness at the Novaya Zemlya test site, where it tested the nuclear-powered cruise missile Burevestnik, according to Western reporting.
China and sea routes
Moscow is promoting the Northern Sea Route as polar ice retreats, creating faster shipping links between China and Europe. Sandvik warned that melting ice could shift power balances.
“When the polar ice melts, China becomes a regional hegemon, but with global interests,” he said, noting Beijing’s self-declared status as a “quasi-Arctic nation.”
Two key chokepoints
In any Arctic conflict, officials say control would likely center on two maritime zones: the GIUK gap between Greenland,
Iceland and the UK, and the “Bear Gap” between Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and the Norwegian mainland near the Kola Peninsula.
Norway uses surveillance aircraft, satellites, drones and submarines to monitor these areas. “This is how NATO thinks about defending the region during a heated crisis,” Sandvik said.
A long-term contest
NATO has increased exercises in Norway, Finland and Greenland, including the Cold Response drills involving 25,000 troops.
Officials say the goal is deterrence, not escalation.
Russia and China, however, are prepared for a long competition in a region where climate change could reshape both military and economic calculations for decades.
“It’s a race in a strategic competition for the Arctic,” Sandvik said.
Sources: Financial Times, Digi24,
