Northern Fleet conducts multiple missile launches near Norway in the Barents Sea
The Russian Navy has carried out a large-scale live-fire exercise simulating the defence of the Kola Peninsula against a seaborne attack, deploying submarines, surface warships, fighter jets and coastal missile systems.
The Norwegian military, which monitored the exercise, said the live-fire drills took place close to Norway's border.
The activity occurred "only a few kilometres from the Norwegian border," said Jonny Karlsen, spokesperson for the Norwegian Joint Headquarters. He stressed that the exercise was conducted in Russian and international waters and airspace, in accordance with international law.
"The Armed Forces, together with our allies, are, as usual, closely monitoring our immediate areas and therefore had a good overview of both the preparations for and the execution of this exercise," Karlsen said.
Last week, the Barents Observer reported on the upcoming exercise after several Northern Fleet warships sailed from Severomorsk towards the maritime border with Norway in the Barents Sea.
Russia made little effort to conceal that what it described as "a simulated enemy naval group" was intended to represent NATO warships entering the Barents Sea.
A video released by the Russian Defence Ministry includes a brief sequence from the weapons control room aboard the Oscar II-class submarine Orel as it launches three cruise missiles. Most of the control panels and instruction posters in the compartment have been blurred, with one notable exception: a display showing silhouettes of surface warships and U.S. and British Navy attack submarines, including the American Los Angeles-class, Virginia-class and the British Astute-class (visible at 00:37 in the video).
According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the simulated enemy naval force was engaged at a distance of 300 kilometres. The targets were struck by missiles launched from land-based coastal defence systems, a submarine and surface warships.
The ministry said the following missiles were launched during the exercise:
The frigate Admiral Golovko fired a Kalibr cruise missile.
The guided missile cruiser Marshal Ustinov launched a Vulkan cruise missile.
A Bastion coastal missile battery fired an Oniks supersonic anti-ship missile from the Rybachii (Fishermen) Peninsula.
The Oscar II-class nuclear-powered submarine Orel (K-266) launched three Granit cruise missiles, although the ministry's video shows only two launches.
The launches from the different platforms took place simultaniously, the Defence Ministry's TV channel Zvezda reported.
Naval exercises in the Barents Sea near the maritime border with Norway are routine. The Kola Peninsula is of critical strategic importance to Russia, as its Northern Fleet submarine bases are located between the Rybachii Peninsula and Kola Bay.
"This exercise is nothing new and is considered normal Russian military activity," Karlsen told the Barents Observer.
In recent years, the Northern Fleet has regularly conducted missile and artillery drills just a few kilometres from Norway's border. A similar exercise took place in the area in April 2025, while in September 2024 the fleet trained there as part of the Ocean-2024 exercise.
