Russian propaganda claims Norway is helping Ukraine prepare attacks on vessels in northern waters
In an apparent attempt to divert attention from GUGI’s failed North Sea operation, the Kremlin’s propaganda outlet TASS on Thursday accused Norway of assisting Ukraine in preparing attacks on Russian vessels in the Barents and Norwegian Seas.
“The criminal Kyiv regime, with the assistance of military specialists from the Norwegian Navy, is preparing to carry out terrorist attacks against Russian vessels travelling through the Barents and Norwegian Seas to and from the port of Murmansk,” the state-controlled news agency TASS quoted an anonymous military-diplomatic source as saying on Thursday.
The report was published shortly after the British government announced that its navy, in cooperation with Norway and other allies, had over the past four weeks tracked and exposed a Russian attempt to carry out suspicious activity targeting critical undersea infrastructure.
According to a second TASS report, the vessels allegedly targeted by Ukraine - with Norwegian support - are those sailing to and from Murmansk, Russia’s largest Arctic seaport.
The unnamed source further claimed that around 50 personnel from the 385th Separate Brigade of Special-Purpose Naval Unmanned Systems of the Ukrainian Navy are currently in Norway. These troops are said to be training alongside specialists from the Norwegian Navy’s Special Forces Command, “practising the use of unmanned underwater and surface systems in cold conditions”.
TASS published three different reports on the issue in less than half an hour around noon on Thrusday. The third news-text said in its headline that "Norway is dragging NATO into conflict with Russia by helping Kyiv prepare terrorist attacks."
Norway’s Joint Headquarters has rejected the claims.
“We have not trained Ukrainian forces with the aim of attacking Russian vessels in the Norwegian and Barents Seas, as described by TASS,” spokesperson Brynjar Stordal said in a telephone interview with the Barents Observer.
Stordal confirmed that Norway does provide training for Ukrainian soldiers, but stressed that none of these activities are intended to support attacks on maritime traffic in northern waters.
“We have trained thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and are proud to help them become more capable of defending their country. Norway is transparent about its actions, and our support programmes and training efforts are well known,” he said.
A year ago, the Norwegian government announced a donation of 2.7 billion kroner (€243 million) to strengthen the Ukrainian Navy, including the training of Ukrainian personnel.
Norway’s Prime Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre, said: “Ukraine needs greater support to deter Russian naval forces in the Black Sea in the period ahead.”
Since 2022, Norway has also contributed to the training of Ukrainian leaders in the United Kingdom through Operation Interflex, which provides Ukrainian personnel with essential military skills. This cooperation continues in 2026, with a company of Norwegian instructors training approximately 400 Ukrainian soldiers.
