The Dutch naval ship Zr. Ms. Johan de Witt is en route to Norway to participate in a NATO exercise in the Arctic region. Departing Den Helder on Monday morning, the vessel will join the exercise in March under NATO’s new Arctic Sentry mission.
Known as Cold Response, the exercise is intended to deter Russia, the Ministry of Defense says. Last week, Norwegian army commander Eirik Kristoffersen told The Guardian that a Russian invasion in Norway’s far north cannot be ruled out.
Cold Response involves 25,000 military personnel from 14 nations. While the exercise occurs biennially, it is now, for the first time, part of NATO’s Arctic Sentry mission. The mission was launched last week after the Greenland crisis, intended to reassure the United States that the Arctic is properly defended against potential threats from Russia and China.
The Ministry of Defense says it is too early to tell if the recently created Arctic Sentry mission will have an impact on Cold Response. In any case, the United States, whose ambitions regarding Greenland have heightened tensions within NATO, is taking part in the exercise.
The Norwegian armed forces report that soldiers will conduct exercises on land, sea, and in the air, while also addressing space and cyber warfare. Northern Norway provides ideal training conditions due to its diverse terrain, with fjords near mountains and an Arctic climate.
The Cold Response exercise kicks off on March 9 and will run for 11 days.