Norway’s armed forces continue to liaise with the Russian military in the Arctic, the Financial Times says.
‘We believe it is important to be able to communicate,’ said the head of the Norwegian Armed Forces Joint Staff, Vice Admiral Rune Andersen.
The publication notes that the sides continue to interact on a weekly basis – communication is constantly checked and business relations are maintained.
The newspaper writes that the Norwegian military keeps gifts from Russian fighters – they have, for example, a glass Kalashnikov automatic rifle with vodka in their headquarters, donated by Russian sailors.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova earlier said Oslo’s steps on its participation in the Arctic Council were insufficient.
