Russia views NATO’s increased activity in the Arctic as a direct threat to its security, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an article published on Monday.

NATO launched its Arctic Sentry mission in February to strengthen the Alliance’s presence in the Far North amid tensions with Russia following its war against Ukraine.

Moscow sees the Arctic as its sphere of interest. Russia has the region’s largest military presence and most extensive military infrastructure, including a naval fleet with nuclear-armed submarines, and is developing a new shipping route linking it with Asia.

Lavrov described NATO military exercises in the region as “aggressive” and warned that the growing risk of incidents could trigger an armed confrontation with potentially catastrophic consequences.

The mineral-rich region has also attracted growing Chinese activity, largely in partnership with Moscow. NATO members in the Nordic region are also strengthening their military presence following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Norway, for example, expanded a recently created Arctic military brigade this month.

(Reuters, max)