Overview
- The letters, sent January 19, notify selected citizens that homes, vehicles, boats and machinery could be requisitioned in a war and are valid for 12 months.
- Norwegian authorities said roughly two-thirds of the 13,500 notices renew previous designations and are part of a broader build-up of military and civil preparedness.
- Defence officials cite a worsening security environment, pointing to Russian expansion on the Kola peninsula and tests of advanced systems including hypersonic missiles and nuclear-powered torpedoes.
- Norway’s position is pivotal for NATO surveillance, with a 123-mile land border and maritime boundaries with Russia and growing competition over Arctic sea routes and resources.
- The step is being reported alongside a diplomatic dispute over Greenland and reported new U.S. tariffs affecting Norway and several European allies from February 1, with Oslo reaffirming Denmark’s sovereignty over the island.