Although Not Sure That Russia Will Invade, Norway Is On Military Alert, Even To The Point Of Canceling Exercises With The US

JAKARTA - The Norwegian military's level of vigilance is now getting higher. Many troops have been transferred to operational duties.

Norway is hopeful. The country's location with Russia is a neighbor.

Norway has a 198km (123 mi) border with Russia in the Arctic.

Last week, Norwegian authorities detained a man accused of posing as a student but allegedly a Russian intelligence officer. Norway's domestic intelligence agency PST said his name was Mikhail Mikushin.

The suspect is being held in Troms, where he works at the Norwegian Arctic University.

Several Russian citizens have also been detained in Norway in recent weeks, mainly for possessing drones or for allegedly photographing subjects covered by the photography ban.

"This is the most severe security situation in decades," said Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre.

“There is no indication that Russia is extending its warfare to other countries, but rising tensions make us more vulnerable to threats, intelligence operations, and influence campaigns.”

Gahr Støre reiterates, "there is no reason to believe that Russia wants to attack Norway or any other country directly".

"We have to be more vigilant," he added.

Norway will also seek to bring a new fleet of US-made P-8 Poseidon submarine-hunting maritime patrol aircraft into regular operations, said defense chief General Eirik Kristoffersen.

Norwegian Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram said the military would spend less time on training and more time on operational tasks.

The air force has canceled training in the US with the F-35 fighter jet, preferring to keep it in Norway, Kristoffersen said.