The Arctic Debrief: Norway detains another Russian ship suspected of sea cable sabotage

In this edition:

• Norway detains another Russian ship suspected of sea cable sabotage
• Russia conducts military and emergency rescue Arctic training
• NORAD scrambles fighter jets in response to Russian Arctic fly-by

Latest Developments

Norway detains Russian ship suspected of sea cable sabotage

Another Russian-linked vessel is suspected of damaging communication cables in the Baltic Sea. Norwegian Coast Guard patrol boat KV Bison detained the Silver Dania, a reefer cargo ship, near the port of Tromsø after a damaged fibre-optic cable was discovered by Lithuanian authorities.

The ship, en route from St. Petersburg to Murmansk, is owned by Norwegian company Fjord Shipping which has close ties to Russian companies. The crew of the Silver Dania consisted of all Russian citizens, who are currently under investigation. The Norwegian Police Security Service is leading the investigation to determine the extent of the sabotage and any potential links to other similar incidents.

The cargo ship was released a few days after an inspection revealed no immediate evidence that the ship was responsible for the damaged sea cables, however, Norwegian authorities are continuing the investigation. The Silver Dania has reached Murmansk and is at port in the Russian city.

This incident is a third of its kind with the past couple of months. On Dec. 27, Finland boarded a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker, the Eagle S, and Sweden detaining the Russian linked bulk carrier Vezhen. While Sweden released Vezhen after no conclusive evidence was found of it damaging undersea cables, Finland continues to hold the Eagle S as it continues its investigation, which already found proof that the ship's anchor was dragged along the sea floor.

The main takeaway from these past events is that European nations have been less reluctant in providing a serious response to Russia's transgressions. Prior to these incidents, European infrastructure was sabotaged without any consequence or proper investigations.

Russia conducts military and emergency rescue Arctic training

The Russian navy and air force conducted a series of Arctic exercises focused on improving operability in polar conditions. The main participants of the exercise were MiG-29K fighter jets, which trained to navigate during polar twilight, and Tu-160 strategic bombers conducting long-range patrols across international Arctic waters.

Russia uses MiG-29K fighter jets in the Arctic over the Su-35 and other variants due to the MiG's smaller frame which is better suited for the Arctic. The MiG was designed as a carrier-based multi-role fighter, allowing it to take off from shorter runways and in less than ideal conditions. Additionally, its onboard avionics system grant it better maneuverability while flying in polar twilight.

Polar twilight refers to an extended period of time in the Arctic and Antarctic when the sun never fully rises above the horizon and creates prolonged periods of very low light. Operating in these conditions is very difficult and forces the pilot to rely mostly on navigating systems.

Around the same time, Russia organized an number of emergency scenarios in Russia's Arctic regions to practice rescue operations such as an avalanche at a ski resort or a ship stranded in sea ice.

Coincidentally, Russian icebreaker 50 Let Pobedy crashed into a cargo vessel after it was send to rescue it. The cargo vessel, which was not constructed to traverse Arctic waters, was stuck in Russia's Northern Sea Route and was awaiting rescue from the icebreaker which ended up smashing into the ship and causing significant damage to both vessels. (The incident was recorded on a camera attached to the 50 Let Pobedy)

NORAD scrambles fighter jets in response to Russian Arctic fly-by

North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) dispatched eight aircraft to monitor Russian warplanes that were flying just outside of the Air Defense Identification Zone north of Alaska and Canada. Marking the first such incident to take place in 2025, but an increasing trend observed last year.

The U.S. send out two F-35 jets, two refueling aircraft tankers, and a E-3 airborne warning and control system plane, while Canada send out two CF-18 fighter jets and one refueling aircraft. No details were provided in regards to the number or model of aircraft flown by the Russians.

Following this incident NORAD send two U.S. F-35 fighter jets to conduct a patrol around Greenland, however, a spokesperson noted that it was not in response to any threat.