Russia threatens strikes on American missile facilities in Norway

Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned that American missile launchers and command posts in Norway would become targets in the event of an armed conflict.

The threat came on Monday against the backdrop of the deployment of an advanced American missile system in the country.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a written statement that the deployment of American ground-based intermediate-range missile systems in Norway had “zeroed out” the conditions for constructive dialogue with the United States on strategic nuclear issues.

Zakharova warned that the missile positions, their command facilities, and associated infrastructure would come under the “special attention” of Russia’s strategic deterrence forces, including in planning the “combat use of relevant strike weapons in the event of an armed conflict.” She said the system is based on Mk-41 launchers capable of firing Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can “cover” a significant portion of European Russia, including Moscow.

According to a U.S. Marine Corps statement quoted by Army Recognition, on August 27 a U.S. Air Force C-17A Globemaster III military transport aircraft delivered a four-cell Naval Strike Missile containerized launcher to Trondheim as part of Operation Atlantic City 26. The Norwegian Armed Forces reported that the operation took place from August 26 to September 4 on and around the island of Jan Mayen as part of the Arctic Sentry exercises — a reinforced NATO initiative for the High North.

Moscow framed the deployment as part of a broader pattern it described as destabilizing NATO actions. According to Reuters, Zakharova also said the move further undermined the already deadlocked prospects for U.S.-Russia talks on strategic stability. The Foreign Ministry called the winding down of stability talks under the previous American administration and the current administration’s plans to hold multilateral talks involving China “unrealistic.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, for his part, said that Norway’s military buildup constitutes a direct threat and gives Moscow “grounds for taking additional measures to ensure our security” — as reported by the state news agency TASS, as cited by Sweden Herald. Norway is expanding its Finnmark Brigade in the Arctic and plans to deploy new long-range missile systems by 2030.

Tensions in the region are rising as Norway has been increasing defense spending since 2022 and deepening military cooperation with NATO allies. The pro-Russian hacker group Server Killers recently claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on Norwegian government digital services, stating that the campaign was a response to Oslo’s support for Ukraine.