Norway Abandons Arctic Navy Base, Russia Comes in
Russia is using a former top secret NATO base situated in the heart of the Arctic Circle, reports AFP.
The Norwegian authorities are gravely upset over a secret naval base they sold two years ago: what makes them panic over the facility they just recently deemed unnecessary is that it is rented by a fleet of Russian research vessels, which, experts believe is “no joking matter”.
The Olavsvern Naval Base is hidden in a mountain near the Norwegian town of Tromso. The base was sold in 2013 by Norway's then president Jens Stoltenberg - now the NATO Secretary General - to a Norwegian businessperson for just 5 million USD.
The base was acquired by businessman Gunnar Wilhelmsen. The sale of the facility to his investor group Triko AS was then approved by the Norwegian Defense Ministry and NATO, as neither of them had a need for the base.
Russian state energy giants Gazprom are now reportedly renting it as a research facility. Former Norwegian Vice Admiral Einar Skorgen said the country had "sold the only base worthy of the name that they had up there. It's pure madness."
Now Russian ships docked at what was once a secret Norwegian naval base in the Arctic have prompted concern from the NATO country's former top military leaders, anxious about its resurgent eastern neighbour roaming nearby.
Norway's jagged Arctic coastline has regained its strategic importance since tensions between Russia and NATO members have spiked to levels not seen since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Skorgen and other critics say Norway has robbed itself of a crucial foothold in the far north, forcing its submarines to travel hundreds of extra miles from their bases to defend the region.
On top of that, three Russian ships have spent the winter docked deep within the mountain hideaway, once a closely guarded military facility.
Also several politicians now say they want the parliament to reassess the issue. Parliament deputy from the Socialist Left Party, Mr. Bjørn Jacobsen, originally voted in favour of the decision, but now says he wants new discussion about the base.
