Russia Deploys Ships With Tactical Nuclear Weapons for First Time in 3 Decades: Norwegian Intelligence

A general view of Russian military frigate 'Admiral Gorshkov' docked in the harbor of Cape Town ahead of 10-day joint maritime drills being staged alongside South Africa and China, in South Africa, on Feb. 13, 2023. AFP via Getty Images

Russia has begun deploying ships armed with tactical nuclear weapons in the Baltic Sea for the first time since the Cold War, the Norwegian Intelligence Service said in a report on Feb. 13.

According to the report (pdf), the vessels belong to Russia’s Northern Fleet.

“With weakened conventional capability, the importance of nuclear weapons for Russia has increased significantly,“ the report, which was translated by multiple outlets, said. ”The Russian strategic and regional deterrent forces have thus become increasingly important for the Russian military power.”

“The key part of the nuclear potential is on the submarines and surface ships of the Northern Fleet,” the Norwegian report said. “Tactical nuclear weapons are a particularly serious threat in several operational scenarios in which NATO countries may be involved.”

The Norwegian intelligence report also noted that ongoing tensions between Russia and the West could further increase Russia’s nuclear threat to NATO, citing the fact that “Russian decisions are characterized by a strong distrust of Western intentions.” It added that a localized conflict could turn into a wider war with “direct military involvement of Russia, the United States, NATO, and Norway.”

Russia Is the ‘Biggest Threat’ to Europe

Additionally, the report noted that Russia will continue to maintain, modernize, and further develop its nuclear arsenal in the coming years.

According to a 2022 report (pdf) by the Congressional Research Service that focused on Russia’s nuclear weapons, doctrine, forces, and modernization, the country’s nuclear forces are made up of both long-range, strategic systems—including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and heavy bombers—and shorter- and medium-range delivery systems.

That report also noted that the Kremlin is swiftly modernizing its nuclear forces and replacing Soviet-era systems with new missiles as well as submarines and aircraft, noting that such weapons are available for use by its naval, tactical air, and missile defense forces.

“Although Russia’s number of nuclear weapons has declined sharply since the end of Cold War, it retains a stockpile of thousands of warheads, with more than 1,500 warheads deployed on missiles and bombers capable of reaching U.S. territory,” the report said.

The latest report comes shortly before Norway’s Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram warned that Russia poses the biggest threat to the country as well as the rest of Europe, adding that Moscow’s confrontation with the West will be “long-lasting.”

Russian Sabotage in Norway ‘Unlikely’

Bjorn made the comments after receiving the latest report from the Norwegian National Security Authority (NSM) on Monday.

Elsewhere, the deputy head of the foreign Norwegian Intelligence Service, Lars Nordrum, said Russia could target Norway’s oil and gas installations.

NSM head Sofie Nystrom also warned that “all of Europe will suffer” if Norwegian gas and oil installations were sabotaged by Russia.

Despite the concerns, PST, the country’s domestic security service, said it does not believe it is likely that Russia will conduct any sabotage operation in Norway this year.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been ramping up calls on Western nations to boost ammunition and other aid to the country as its ongoing conflict with Russia enters its one-year mark on Feb. 24.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Feb. 14 also called on more allied nations to boost ammunition supplies to Kyiv amid a new Russian offensive.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.