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Russian state media outlet TASS accused Norway of helping Ukraine prepare attacks on Russian vessels in northern waters Thursday, in what appears to be a diversionary tactic following the exposure of Russia’s own covert maritime operations in the North Sea.
The allegations emerged shortly after British authorities announced they had tracked and exposed suspicious Russian activity targeting critical undersea infrastructure over the past four weeks. The operation was carried out in cooperation with Norway and other allies.
According to TASS, which cited an anonymous “military-diplomatic source,” the “criminal Kyiv regime” is allegedly preparing “terrorist attacks” against Russian vessels traveling through the Barents and Norwegian Seas to and from Murmansk, Russia’s largest Arctic seaport. The source claimed these activities are being conducted with assistance from Norwegian Navy specialists.
In a rapid succession of reports published within just 30 minutes on Thursday, TASS escalated its accusations. One headline dramatically claimed “Norway is dragging NATO into conflict with Russia by helping Kyiv prepare terrorist attacks.”
The unnamed source further alleged that approximately 50 personnel from Ukraine’s 385th Separate Brigade of Special-Purpose Naval Unmanned Systems are currently in Norway, purportedly training alongside Norwegian Navy Special Forces to practice using unmanned underwater and surface systems in cold conditions.
Norwegian military authorities have categorically rejected these claims. Brynjar Stordal, spokesperson for Norway’s Joint Headquarters, told the Barents Observer: “We have not trained Ukrainian forces with the aim of attacking Russian vessels in the Norwegian and Barents Seas, as described by TASS.”
While confirming that Norway does provide training to Ukrainian soldiers, Stordal emphasized 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.
The timing of these Russian allegations appears strategic, coming as international attention focuses on Russia’s own activities near critical subsea infrastructure. Security analysts suggest this may be an attempt to create a false equivalence between legitimate defense cooperation and alleged sabotage operations.
Norway has been open about its support for Ukraine’s defense capabilities. Last year, the Norwegian government announced a significant donation of 2.7 billion kroner (€243 million) to strengthen the Ukrainian Navy, including training for Ukrainian personnel. However, this support was specifically framed in the context of helping Ukraine deter Russian naval forces in the Black Sea, not northern waters.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, Norway has also participated in Operation Interflex, a multinational effort based in the United Kingdom that provides Ukrainian personnel with essential military skills. This program continues through 2026, with Norwegian instructors training approximately 400 Ukrainian soldiers.
The accusations from TASS represent the latest in a series of information operations from Russian state media aimed at NATO countries supporting Ukraine. Such claims often appear timed to coincide with revelations about Russian military activities or to create confusion about legitimate defense cooperation between Western nations and Ukraine.
The maritime zones in question—the Barents and Norwegian Seas—have strategic significance for Russia, particularly as access points for its Northern Fleet based in Murmansk. As Arctic tensions increase alongside the broader Russia-Ukraine conflict, false narratives about military activities in these waters could be aimed at justifying increased Russian naval presence or restrictions in the region.
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8 Comments
This seems to be more Russian propaganda trying to deflect attention from their own covert maritime activities. Norway and its allies have every right to monitor suspicious activity in their waters and share intelligence to protect critical infrastructure.
Agreed. These baseless allegations are likely intended to sow division and distract from Russia’s own troubling behavior in the region.
I’m curious to learn more about the specifics of Norway’s cooperation with allies to monitor Russian maritime activity. Protecting critical infrastructure is a legitimate security concern, but the details behind these accusations remain murky.
The timing of these allegations, coming shortly after the exposure of Russia’s own covert maritime operations, is quite suspicious. It appears to be a diversionary tactic to shift blame and attention away from their own misdeeds.
If the reports are accurate, it’s concerning to see Russia making such aggressive accusations against Norway. However, we should be cautious about taking TASS’s claims at face value given its history of disinformation.
Good point. TASS is not a credible source, so these allegations warrant further scrutiny before drawing any firm conclusions.
This seems to be an escalation of Russia’s ongoing propaganda campaign against the West. While the details are unclear, it’s important to maintain a rational, fact-based perspective and not get drawn into these inflammatory narratives.
Absolutely. Staying level-headed and focusing on verified information is key when dealing with such provocative rhetoric from Russian state media.