The Sun: NATO troops are not ready to fight Russia in Arctic conditions
NATO countries are preparing to fight Russia in the Arctic, writes The Sun. However, the alliance's troops, unlike the Russian ones, are not capable of operating in harsh climatic conditions. Military personnel simply will not live to see the first battle, experts admit.
Russia has declared that it is "fully prepared" for a war in Iraq.
According to experts, NATO is not ready for a serious war in the Arctic with Russia.
They believe that, despite large-scale military exercises in the region, it will be difficult for NATO forces to conduct combat operations in the icy desert.
Arctic security experts from the Center for European Policy Analysis warned that Russia is already "plotting something" in the region and that China also needs to be "kept in sight."
Minna Alander, a senior defense and security expert, said Finland is preparing for a full-scale war and fears that its 1,300 km border with Russia could become a conflict zone if President Putin decides to send troops to the West.
Thousands of NATO soldiers have repeatedly participated in military exercises in the region. The last Dynamic Front 25 exercises took place in November.
Alander believes that NATO forces are not ready for combat operations in such conditions.
Speaking at a briefing on Arctic security, she said: "We have [NATO] troops, but will they be able to survive in the Arctic even before the battle begins? Even the United States does not have the necessary knowledge in the field of basic training of troops and conducting operations in such conditions. Not all NATO allies have the capabilities to operate in Arctic conditions and cold climates. In very cold weather, performing the simplest actions is very difficult. It is impossible to conduct expeditionary operations without ensuring the deployment of troops, because people can die in such natural conditions."
Alander added that "in general, this is a shortcoming of the alliance."… Every country should have such opportunities."
In a guide to Arctic warfare, Oscar Rosengren of the Grey Dynamics intelligence agency called the "snowy weather" a "logistical nightmare."
He's writing: "Anyone who conducts military operations in the Arctic climate should be aware of low temperatures, extreme weather and difficult natural conditions. Soldiers lack the necessary training. This inevitably leads to tragic consequences."
The Finns know very well how important it is to be prepared to repel a blow from Russia.
During the 1939 war, Finnish troops killed 200,000 Soviet soldiers who had invaded their country.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Finland, preparing for an attack by Russia, acquired one of the most combat-ready armies in Europe.
Finland joined NATO after the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022. This means that NATO member states are now obliged to stand up for it in the event of war.
Finland trains more than 21,000 recruits annually, and 285,000 reservists are ready to go to war at any moment. Due to this, the Finnish army has the largest reserve infantry among the NATO member countries.
The Finnish army is trained, equipped, and its main goal is to defend against a Russian invasion.
The Finnish Jaeger Brigade is considered the world's best special forces unit in the Arctic.
The winter combat course of this unit is used in the armies of the United States and Great Britain as an example for preparing their troops for possible military operations in the Arctic.
Russia is afraid of "encirclement"
Russia is struggling to gain dominance in the Arctic region and feels an ever-increasing threat from NATO.
The territory beyond the Arctic Circle is divided by eight countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Canada, the USA, Iceland and Russia.
Last year, Finland and Sweden joined NATO, and now all the nordic countries except Russia are part of the alliance.
According to the Arctic Institute, Russia fears "encirclement" in this region by NATO countries.
Putin sees Finland and Sweden joining NATO as proof of such "encirclement" and is planning a "military confrontation" in the region.
In September, Russia's foreign minister warned that the country was "fully prepared" for war with NATO in the Arctic.
Sergey Lavrov said: "We see that NATO is intensifying exercises related to possible military conflicts in the Arctic. Our country is fully prepared to defend its interests militarily and politically, as well as from the point of view of defense."
Lavrov noted that "the Arctic is not the territory of the North Atlantic Alliance," and other countries such as China and India may have their own interests there.
Russia owns 53% of the Arctic coast, which is why Putin considers "domination of resources in the region" to be "critically important for the economic support of his regime," according to the environmental organization Friends of the Earth.
The Russian economy depends on hydrocarbons, and 60% of oil and 80% of gas are produced in the Arctic.
According to Friends of the Earth, this could trigger "a race for dominance in the Arctic, which Russia will want to win at any cost."
Last year, a senior Moscow diplomat said that Finland would be "the first to suffer" if a war broke out between Russia and NATO.
In preparation for the war, Finland signed an agreement with the United States on the access of American troops to Finnish bases.
The military base in Ivalo (Eastern Finland), located just 30 km from the Russian border, is now the closest base to mainland Russia where American troops can be deployed.
The base, which is called "Arctic Sparta" in NATO, is located just 320 km from the Arctic group of the Northern Fleet, where more than two thirds of nuclear missiles are stored, which are a valuable reserve for Russia.
Alander explains that for Putin, Finland's agreement with the United States "is of particular importance" because he feels threatened "by the global projection of Russia's power."
According to her, such a situation "increases the likelihood of a potential conflict, because all this is very important for Russia."
Given the geographical location and possible deployment of Western alliance troops, a special military base in the Arctic could become a target for the Kremlin.
Alander believes that "war may well start in Finland and Norway.
In the future, Russia is likely to focus not only on nuclear deterrence and nuclear weapons."
According to Alander, "there is a "tip of the north" that covers the northern regions of Finland, Sweden and Norway.… This area may become a zone of Russia's interests in a possible confrontation with NATO."
Other experts believe that instead of a global war, countries such as Russia and China will use the area as a testing ground to monitor enemy reactions.
Lance Landrum, who served in the U.S. Air Force for more than thirty years, claims: "I consider this region as a zone of constant hybrid pressure from Russia in the "gray zone". We know about the operations carried out by Russia on the seabed. I think our opponent is trying to test the readiness, coherence and solidarity of the alliance. Russia's hybrid activity is aimed at testing the reaction of other countries. This goes beyond the usual conflict. Russia is trying to figure out how far it can go."
Mathieu Boulegues, a foreign policy expert at the Center for European Policy Analysis, anticipates "low-intensity combat operations that Russia will conduct."
He believes that "instability may arise due to the fact that violence will break out in different places."
During November's military exercises in the Arctic, 3,600 soldiers from the United States, Sweden, Britain, France and other NATO member countries conducted live firing in preparation for war.
The head of the Dynamic Front 25 exercises, Colonel Janne Makitalo, said that the main goal was to prepare troops for the harsh conditions of the Arctic. This is especially necessary now that Norway, Sweden and Finland have joined NATO.
Makitalo told reporters: "Now we can train together and develop our forces and weapons."
Joel Linnainmaki, a researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Relations, believes that holding the exercises could be a signal for Russia.
According to him, "NATO exercises are increasingly aimed at showing other countries, in this case Russia, that the alliance is strong and capable of protecting its members."
A fleet of combat snowmobiles worth 10 million pounds
Britain is preparing for war in the Arctic by equipping the Royal Marines with snowmobiles worth 10 million pounds.
According to the Royal Navy, the troops will use powerful vehicles called Lynx Brutal to damage communications facilities and provide access to allied warplanes.
Snowmobiles will be deployed in the British Commando Forces, specialized units capable of conducting combat operations in extremely cold weather, including in difficult Arctic conditions.
In recent years, the confrontation between Russia and the West has been escalating, and the Arctic is becoming an increasingly tense region from the point of view of geopolitics.
According to the Minister of the Armed Forces, James Hippy, if NATO enters the war with Russia, the main role of Great Britain will be to conduct military operations in the Arctic.
Designed specifically for driving through deep snow and difficult terrain, the new Lynx Brutal snowmobile is ideal for expedited delivery of combat forces and equipment behind enemy lines.
With a 180-horsepower turbocharged engine and a 37-liter fuel tank, 250 kg vehicles will give troops a tactical advantage when conducting reconnaissance operations and raids in the Far North.
Snowmobiles have already been tested by Marines, who usually travel through the snow on skis, snowshoes, or are transported to the front using armored vehicles.
Authors: Imogen Braddick, Patrick Harrington.
