There are only two settlements on the main island of Spitsbergen – Longyearbyen, the main Norwegian and international town, and Barentsburg, a Russian 'company town' run by a Kremlin-owned mining firm, Arktikugol. Meanwhile, Svalbard is just 185 miles from Greenland – the vast island coveted by US President Donald Trump. And Vice Admiral Rune Anderson, chief of the Norwegian Joint Headquarters, said: "We are preparing for a more dangerous Russia." ‌In 2024, Nata's defence college identified a Russian invasion of Svalbard as one of its 'Dragon King' scenarios. "It envisaged a scenario where Russian forces took Svalbard in the night, cutting its internet and cellular services," writes Haseldine.

Source: Express April 05, 2026 14:06 UTC