THE SUN | Published January 4, 2025
Russia has said it is ‘fully ready’ for an Arctic war
NATO is not ready for a brutal Arctic war with Vladimir Putin, analysts have warned.
Despite massive Nato drills in the region, troops will struggle to survive war in the freezing wilderness, they said.
The Arctic security experts at the Centre for European Policy Analysis warned Russia is already “up to no good” in the region and that China must also “be kept in check”.
Minna Ålander, a senior defence and security researcher, said Finland is preparing for full-scale war over concerns its 830-mile border with Russia could become a flashpoint if war-mad Putin sets his sights on the West.
Thousands of Nato soldiers have repeatedly taken part in war drills in the region – with the most recent exercises, dubbed Dynamic Front 25, taking place in November.
But Ålander said troops are not prepared to survive in the conditions.
Speaking at an Arctic security briefing, she said: “We have [Nato] troops – but do they know how to survive in the Arctic before they even get into combat?
“Even the US does not fully necessarily have what it what it takes in terms of that basic training of troops and how you conduct normal operations under these specific circumstances.
“Not all Nato allies have the capabilities that are needed and that work in the Arctic environment and climate.
“It has very specific sort of requirements on simple things when it’s very cold.
“You can’t just do expeditionary operations with troops without the appropriate basing – because you are going to die from natural causes.”
She added: “This is a gap on the whole in the alliance… it’s something that every nation needs to have.”
In a guide to Arctic warfare, Oscar Rosengren from intelligence firm Grey Dynamics, described “being surrounded by snow” as a “logistical nightmare”.
He said: “Freezing temperatures, extreme weather, and nature’s brutality will remind any actor waging war in Arctic climates of its harsh conditions.
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SOURCE: www.thesun.co.uk
RELATED: West’s coming war with Russia will be triggered by Arctic climate breakdown
NATO countries are priming their citizens to be ready for the next global conflict between the great powers. Once unthinkable, the idea of a third world war seems closer than ever, writes Maurizio Geri.
Over the next two decades, as climate change drives the retreat of sea ice in the Arctic, the probability of a Russian invasion to dominate the region will dramatically increase. [Shutterstock/Kedardome]
EURACTIV | Published January 4, 2025
NATO countries are priming their citizens to prepare for the next global conflict between the great powers. Once unthinkable, the idea of a third world war seems closer than ever, writes Maurizio Geri.
Dr Maurizio Geri is a former NATO analyst, currently GMU postdoctoral researcher in Washington. He holds an EU Marie Curie Fellowship, working on EU-NATO technology cooperation against Russian hybrid warfare in the energy-resources-climate security nexus. He is also an Italian Navy Lieutenant POLAD reservist.
The first shot was fired by Admiral Rob Bauer, chair of NATO’s military committee and the most senior military officer in the alliance, who warned that as Russia will attack the West within the next 20 years, large numbers of civilians will need to be mobilised.
Several other NATO leaders have backed up this view. The head of the British army has demanded that Britons be recruited to a “citizen army” that can fight a land war with Russia.
The head of Sweden’s armed forces has declared that all Swedes must “prepare for war”. German politicians and military leaders have discussed the possibility of bringing back mandatory military service.
Yet none of these military officials or political leaders have mentioned the elephant in the room: the biggest likely flashpoint for war with Russia is climate change.
Over the next two decades, as climate change drives the retreat of sea ice in the Arctic, the probability of a Russian invasion to dominate the region – which contains some of the world’s largest untapped mineral and fossil fuel resources – will dramatically increase. Such an Arctic invasion would force NATO to act, likely leading to a major global conflict.
Currently, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has drawn the most scrutiny as an entry point for a broader assault on Europe. Yet politicians are failing to join the dots adequately.
Focusing on the war in Ukraine and the need to recruit citizen armies is a band-aid for a devastating global conflict scenario that could be avoided. That means grappling with the biggest enemy of all.
NATO has long recognised how climate change is a ‘threat amplifier’ for traditional security issues. Several NATO studies have warned that with the climate changing faster than previously thought, the danger of a military confrontation in the Arctic is rapidly increasing.
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SOURCE: www.euractiv.com
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