Russia's 'advanced weapon' trials turning NATO's focus to the Arctic

Russia's use of the Arctic as a "testbed" for advanced weapon systems and as the chosen location for new bases is heightening NATO's focus on the area, said the chief of the alliance.

Speaking in Canada alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said a "significant Russian military build-up" is taking place in the "strategically important" High North, the territories of Nordic countries – including Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden – located throughout the Arctic beyond the Polar Circle.

He pointed out that seven out of eight Arctic nations will be NATO members once Finland and Sweden join, but that "the shortest path to North America for Russian missiles and bombers would be over the North Pole".

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"Russia has set up a new Arctic command," he said.

"It has opened hundreds of new and former Soviet-era Arctic military sites, including airfields and deep water ports. Russia is also using the region as a testbed for many of its new and novel weapon systems."

Mr Trudeau said Russia's invasion of Ukraine has "changed the way we need to look at the Arctic" – especially as climate change brings "greater accessibility" to the region.