Admiral Moiseev kicks off command and staff exercise, NATO scrambles F-35s from Evenes

Shortly after the Commander of the powerful Northern Fleet ordered his forces active for this year’s first command and staff exercise, two Russian fighter jets were detected on Norway’s radar systems outside Norwegian air space north of Finnmark.

Two F-35s from Evenes air base on alert for NATO were scrambled and met the Russian planes in international airspace, the Norwegian Armed Forces informs.

The two planes were one Su-24 and one MiG-31, both flying out from the Kola Peninsula. This is the second time in a few days that NATO scrambles F-35s for a routine inspection of Russian aircraft over the western part of the Barents Sea.

The scrambling on Tuesday happened only a few hours after two Su-27 aircraft according to US sources forced down MQ-9 drone over the Black Sea. Moscow claims the drone crashed on its own.

From its headquarters in Severomorsk north of Murmansk, the Northern Fleet informs that about 20 warships and support vessels are involved in the ongoing command and staff exercise. Five aircraft and 50 other military special equipment units take part in the training that according to the press service will last for several days.

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The main task is to train combat scenarios to protect the Arctic borders of Russia.

Simultaneously as Admiral Aleksandr Moiseev ordered action from his forces, Norway’s Joint Viking exercise enters its second week, with about 20,000 soldiers from several NATO and partner countries inside the Arctic Circle.

Outside Northern Norway, the British naval exercise Joint Warrior also includes warships from several NATO countries.

Unlike during other larger exercises and NATO activities in Norway in recent years, Russia has this winter not issued any warnings of missile launches or other potentially dangerous military activities in international waters or airspace west or north of Norway.

Such NOTAM (Notice to airmen) warnings were frequently used by the Northern Fleet for the purpose of signaling Norway and its allies about Russia’s displeasure with presence of United States and other NATO forces on or outside Norway’s territory.

The only NOTAM warnings currently active in northern waters are in the Russian sector of the Barents Sea, in the areas normally used by the Northern Fleet when conducting naval artillery and rocket shootings. For an unknown reason, also larger parts of the White Sea are closed off for the period March 12 to 23.

The Northern Fleet frigate “Admiral Kasatonov” is currently sailing back towards Severomorsk after a one-year deployment to the eastern Mediterranean. The British navy has shadowed the warship through the English Channel in recent days and the vessel is expected to continue north along the coast of Norway in the week ahead.

Zapad-2023 

Last December, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shiougu announced that the country’s largest military exercise on the table will be Zapad-2023.

Such large-scale strategic exercises are arranged annually, and rotate from year to year between the country’s four military districts; east, south, central and west (Zapad is Russian for West).

Last Zapad exercise was in 2021, and Shoigu’s departure from the normal cycle by again announcing a Zapad exercise this year in multiple western directions is likely signaling to Russia’s own population that NATO and Europe are a threat, a narrative repeatedly being voiced from the Kremlin to boost patriotism and support for the ongoing war on Ukraine.