Norway. Expert: Russia could use Svalbard archipelago to launch conflict with NATO | World News

Svalbard is an arctic archipelago of several islands. The Norwegian province is located between the Barents Sea, the Greenland Sea and the Arctic Ocean. Svalbard is subject to Norwegian jurisdiction, but Norway’s jurisdiction is limited to economic and military operations.

Current information on the main page of Gazeta.pl

An expert from the Norwegian Institute of Defense Studies noted that Russia could use the archipelago to launch a confrontation with NATO.

– Russia is one of the 46 countries that signed the 1920 Spitzburg Agreement and has the right to promote economic activity on this basis, he said. Interview with PAP Professor. Katarzyna Zyśk.

Map Svalbard Photo by Krzysztof Rak / Agencja Wyborcza.pl

According to the expert, Russia does not agree with some aspects of the agreement. According to Moscow, the agreement was written in old, inaccurate language. The agreement must be translated with some differences.

– Russia claims that Svalbard is a militarized area, while Norway’s permanent presence in the form of military bases is not possible.

Expert: By attacking Svalbard, the Russians could try to test Section 5 of the NATO agreement.

According to an expert from the Norwegian Institute of Defense Studies in Russia, it is not profitable to underestimate Norwegian power in Svalbard until now. According to the professor. Zyśk said it was not in Russia’s interest for the signatories to be interested in activities in the region.

– However, Russia has the opportunity to use differences of opinion in the interpretation of the agreement. For example, by attacking Svalbard, the Russians could try to test Section 5 of the NATO agreement, Zyśk insists.