Russia launches artillery shooting next to maritime border with Norway
The Russian Northern Fleet on Tuesday started a live-fire exercise in the Varanger fjord, a few nautical miles from Grense Jakobselv where the Norwegian military is observing.
Russia has issued warnings to both seafarers and pilots to stay away from waters and airspace close to the coast between Pechenga fjord and Grense Jakobselv.
At the nearest, the area announced for live shootings is only three to four nautical miles from Norwegian territorial waters and about five nautical miles from the shores where the Russian-Norwegian land border meets the Varanger fjord.
The Navy's artillery shooting takes place on February 17 and 18.
Norway monitors the situation:
"The Armed Forces, together with our allies, are closely monitoring the situation in our immediate areas, and have a good overview of activity through our daily operations," says spokesperson with the Joint Headquarters Jonny Karlsen to the Barents Observer.
The Russian Northern Fleet normally holds exercises and training east of the Fishermen Peninsula, further away from Norway. In recent years, however, similar artillery shooting has come closer to Norwegian shores.
Military signalling
"We have seen a handful of Russian NOTAM events in the Varangerfjord area in recent years," explains Kristian Åtland, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment
Åtland is an expert on Russia's Arctic military capacities.
He says the choice of location is "clearly not incidental."
"Rather, it appears to be part of a broader pattern of strategic signaling aimed at demonstrating capabilities, testing reactions, and communicating specific messages to both Norway and NATO," Kristian Åtland elaborates.
"The nature and location of the activity – naval artillery firing near the Norwegian–Russian sea border – are probably intended to reinforce whatever message Russia is trying to convey."
In March, troops from 14 NATO countries will train in the northern regions of Norway and Finland. The exercise Cold Response is the largest in Norway in 2026 with about 25,000 soldiers. However, none of the military activities will take place anywhere near the border with Russia.
The main aim is to train the ability to defend the Alliance’s northern flank, on land, at sea and in the air.
Jonny Karlsen with the Joint Headquarters underlines that there is no drama attached to Russia's naval live-fire activities now taking place close to Norwegian waters and land territories.
"As long as this takes place in international or Russian waters, they are allowed to do so," Karlsen says.
He adds: "This is by us considered to be as expected, and normal activity."
The Norwegian military border guards have an observation post in Grense Jakobselv with panorama view towards the waters outside the eastern shores of the Varanger fjord where the Northern Fleet has closed off for civilian sailings.
Russia has also issued live-fire warnings for larger areas along the coast of the Kola Peninsula, from the Fishermen Peninsula to north east of the Kildin Island. Waters here are closed for sailings and air traffic from February 17 to 22.
