The Norwegian government has raised the alert level of the Armed Forces to reinforce surveillance and prevention tasks in infrastructures and facilities considered key, as the Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Store, considers that the war in Ukraine makes it necessary to be «more vigilant».
The Prime Minister has clarified that there are no indications that Russia wants to involve Norway in the conflict in any way, but he sees the need to take extreme precautions and protect, for example, the energy supply networks to other parts of Europe, reports the NRK channel.
Norway has become the main European supplier of natural gas following the measures taken in recent months on Russia. The continental gas network was already subject to serious sabotage in September by a series of explosions on the Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea.
Norwegian security forces have in recent hours arrested several Russian citizens for flying drones and, with the new plan, the Armed Forces are expected to put aside part of their maneuvers and training to concentrate on other activities theoretically more indispensable in the short term, such as maritime surveillance.
«The growing tension makes us more exposed to threats,» acknowledged the Prime Minister, who defended the need for «all NATO countries» to be «more vigilant».
