NATO intelligence officials have raised concerns about Russia’s development of underwater nuclear missile systems that could potentially be hidden on the seabed in the Arctic region, as per recent reports.
The relationship between NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and Russia has been marked by tension and instability over many years. Established in 1949 as a 32-member alliance to counter the threat of Soviet aggression, NATO’s primary focus now is to protect its member nations by treating an attack on one as an attack on all, serving as a cornerstone of Western security.
According to EurAsia Daily, NATO intelligence agencies have been monitoring the Russian Northern Fleet and suspect that there are ongoing efforts to place missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads on the seabed. This initiative, known as “Scythians,” is believed to have been in operation for several years, as reported by German media.
The planned location for these missiles is within Russian territorial waters in the Arctic Ocean. They are expected to be housed on the ocean floor in specially designed mines or containers. Reports suggest that if deployed, these missiles could remain submerged for extended periods and be launched remotely.
Having missile launchers positioned underwater would present significant challenges in terms of detection and neutralization during times of conflict. This development comes in the wake of reports that Vladimir Putin’s forces conducted test firings of nuclear-capable missiles, including ‘Yars’ and ‘Sineva’ ICBMs, as well as hypersonic missiles from the ‘Zircon’ and ‘Kinzhal’ systems.
In a separate event, the Belarusian military conducted a test launch of an ‘Iskander’ missile, as reported by the Russian news agency Interfax. These actions have heightened tensions, particularly with NATO member state Lithuania, amid concerns of a potential military escalation by Putin in the Baltic region.
Recent incidents of drone incursions from Belarus, a Russian ally participating in nuclear exercises with Kremlin forces, led to the scrambling of alliance fighters in Lithuania. The situation remains tense, with NATO on high alert in response to these developments.