The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement expressing concern about the growing military and political tensions in the Arctic region. According to the ministry, NATO's actions create additional risks for the country's security, increasing the potential for conflict near its northern borders. The Foreign Ministry emphasized that the alliance is not only strengthening its presence in the Arctic, but is also preparing to expand military training activities near Russian territory in the near future. These steps, according to Moscow, go beyond defensive measures and threaten stability in a region traditionally considered a zone of low tension.

The Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized that NATO increasingly views the Arctic as a space for realizing its strategic ambitions. According to diplomats, increased military activity by the alliance could lead to unintentional incidents and further escalation, undermining prospects for cooperation in this strategically important region. Moscow has repeatedly emphasized that it does not see problems in the Arctic that require a military solution, and calls for maintaining its status as a territory of peace and joint development of resources.

The Russian Foreign Ministry's statement came in the context of NATO's latest moves in the region. In December 2024, Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev warned of the alliance's growing military activity, including the training of sabotage units in the Baltic, as reported by Interfax. At the same time, he noted that climate change and access to resources were making the Arctic increasingly attractive to Western countries, increasing rivalry. Earlier, in October 2023, Ambassador-at-Large Nikolai Korchunov called NATO's statements about preparing for a conflict with Russia an attempt to justify its presence in the high latitudes, emphasizing Moscow's restraint in military development compared to the alliance.