Jonathan Beale

It's got a number of nuclear facilities up there and it has expanded its military presence. Now, clearly, that expansion was happening at a greater pace before Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine after 2014, but before the full scale invasion. And they have, for example, at least three major bases, 13 airfields, radar stations, border outposts, right across that coast.

It's got a number of nuclear facilities up there and it has expanded its military presence. Now, clearly, that expansion was happening at a greater pace before Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine after 2014, but before the full scale invasion. And they have, for example, at least three major bases, 13 airfields, radar stations, border outposts, right across that coast.

And, you know, the plan was to increase that military presence. Now, given what's happened recently with the fact that NATO has been expanded with Finland and Sweden joining, and that's one of the reasons why Putin, not the only reason, but one of the reasons why Putin went to war, because he didn't want Ukraine to be a member of NATO. When he sees expansion of the NATO alliance up into the north,

And, you know, the plan was to increase that military presence. Now, given what's happened recently with the fact that NATO has been expanded with Finland and Sweden joining, and that's one of the reasons why Putin, not the only reason, but one of the reasons why Putin went to war, because he didn't want Ukraine to be a member of NATO. When he sees expansion of the NATO alliance up into the north,

And, you know, the plan was to increase that military presence. Now, given what's happened recently with the fact that NATO has been expanded with Finland and Sweden joining, and that's one of the reasons why Putin, not the only reason, but one of the reasons why Putin went to war, because he didn't want Ukraine to be a member of NATO. When he sees expansion of the NATO alliance up into the north,

you've got to ask the question, you know, the likelihood that he'll be just as concerned. And that's, I think, the reason why people are worried. And that is why you've seen both increased Russian military presence and also increased activity by NATO countries too.

you've got to ask the question, you know, the likelihood that he'll be just as concerned. And that's, I think, the reason why people are worried. And that is why you've seen both increased Russian military presence and also increased activity by NATO countries too.

you've got to ask the question, you know, the likelihood that he'll be just as concerned. And that's, I think, the reason why people are worried. And that is why you've seen both increased Russian military presence and also increased activity by NATO countries too.

It is. You're absolutely right. And you know that before before Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, I would go on exercises, military exercises up to the Arctic region. The British go there. The American Marines go there. They regularly hold what they call cold response, a NATO exercise. And you would not be able to get anybody to say the word Russia.

It is. You're absolutely right. And you know that before before Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, I would go on exercises, military exercises up to the Arctic region. The British go there. The American Marines go there. They regularly hold what they call cold response, a NATO exercise. And you would not be able to get anybody to say the word Russia.

It is. You're absolutely right. And you know that before before Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, I would go on exercises, military exercises up to the Arctic region. The British go there. The American Marines go there. They regularly hold what they call cold response, a NATO exercise. And you would not be able to get anybody to say the word Russia.

They would all talk about, you know, if there is a threat to this region, we will be ready to respond. And then you'd ask, well, who's that threat? And they would always try to avoid mentioning Russia. You go now, you go after the full scale invasion. It is Russia that's the threat there. That is why they're there. And that's why they're on exercise.

They would all talk about, you know, if there is a threat to this region, we will be ready to respond. And then you'd ask, well, who's that threat? And they would always try to avoid mentioning Russia. You go now, you go after the full scale invasion. It is Russia that's the threat there. That is why they're there. And that's why they're on exercise.

They would all talk about, you know, if there is a threat to this region, we will be ready to respond. And then you'd ask, well, who's that threat? And they would always try to avoid mentioning Russia. You go now, you go after the full scale invasion. It is Russia that's the threat there. That is why they're there. And that's why they're on exercise.

Yeah. And I've spoken to some of the pilots, the Norwegian pilots who fly up towards the Barents Sea. And, you know, they regularly come into interactions with the Russians. It hasn't escalated, thankfully. But, you know, that is how tensions can get out of control if somebody takes action. military action, in other words, does something that they shouldn't do.

Yeah. And I've spoken to some of the pilots, the Norwegian pilots who fly up towards the Barents Sea. And, you know, they regularly come into interactions with the Russians. It hasn't escalated, thankfully. But, you know, that is how tensions can get out of control if somebody takes action. military action, in other words, does something that they shouldn't do.

Yeah. And I've spoken to some of the pilots, the Norwegian pilots who fly up towards the Barents Sea. And, you know, they regularly come into interactions with the Russians. It hasn't escalated, thankfully. But, you know, that is how tensions can get out of control if somebody takes action. military action, in other words, does something that they shouldn't do.

And then you've got to look at the rhetoric from the Russians as well. And, you know, Russian rhetoric is not generally as conciliatory as Western rhetoric that you've just mentioned there. For example, Lavrov, the foreign minister, has said it's absolutely clear to everyone that that this is our territory when he's talking about the Northern Sea route.

And then you've got to look at the rhetoric from the Russians as well. And, you know, Russian rhetoric is not generally as conciliatory as Western rhetoric that you've just mentioned there. For example, Lavrov, the foreign minister, has said it's absolutely clear to everyone that that this is our territory when he's talking about the Northern Sea route.

And then you've got to look at the rhetoric from the Russians as well. And, you know, Russian rhetoric is not generally as conciliatory as Western rhetoric that you've just mentioned there. For example, Lavrov, the foreign minister, has said it's absolutely clear to everyone that that this is our territory when he's talking about the Northern Sea route.