Norway: No comment, Sweden: Effects must be discussed

- The Defense Ministry does not find it appropriate to comment on unsubstantiated rumors about Russia’s disposal of its own defense, says Senior Adviser in the Norwegian Ministry of Defense Svein Buer to BarentsObserver when asked to comment on last week’s media-news that Russia plans to deploy one of the Mistral-class vessels in Severomorsk, the main base of Russia’s Northern fleet on the Kola Peninsula.

Sweden has a somewhat different approach. Speaking at a conference on security policy on Tuesday, Sweden’s Minister of Defense, Sten Tolgfors, was outspoken on Russia’s Mistral-class purchasing:

- Mistral will contribute to the development of Russian military capability and we will need to relate to this as well. A strong Swedish air force with sea targeting capabilities and modernization of our submarine fleet are some of the decisions that I see as relevant when the effect of the Mistral is discussed, Defense Minister Sten Tolgfors told the audience.

A transcript of the speech is published on the portal of the Swedish Defense Ministry.

Also among members of the Swedish Parliament the French sale of two Mistral class helicopter carriers has caused concern.

Member of the Parliament’s Committee on Defense, Mikael Oscarsson, has requested Sweden’s Foreign Minister Carl Bildt to state what Russia’s purchasing of Mistral-class vessels will mean for the security in Baltic Sea, reports the newspaper Dagens Nyhetar.

- There is reason to question Russia for what they need this military force to, says Oscarsson.

It was on Christmas Eve last year that Russia and France announced the agreement to jointly build two Mistral class helicopter carriers at a French naval yard. Two other similar vessels will later be built at the Admirality naval yard outside St. Petersburg, as reported by BarentsObserver.

Last week, several Russian media sources quoted a source in the Headquarter of the Russian Navy stating that one of the high-tech vessels will be based at the Northern fleet’s main base Severomorsk on the coast of the Barents Sea.

Naval vessels from the Northern fleet are operating all over the world’s oceans, but mainly in the Barents Sea where Russia shares coastline with Norway.

Read also: Norway and Russia sign maritime delimitation agreement

Mistral-class warships are designed for offensive power-projection through amphibious landings and air assault, using the combat helicopters and armored vehicles aboard in support of ground-force operations. The vessels are capable of carrying 16 helicopters, four landing vessels, 70 armored vehicles including 13 battle tanks.

The French – Russian Mistral deal is the first large-scale arms deal between a NATO country and Russia.