Russia announces conducting live fire less than 4 miles of Norwegian coast.

As part of the Russian maritime exercise Kumzha-2024, Russia announced that it would conduct naval artillery fire in an area only 4 nautical miles (8 km) away, putting Norwegian forces on high alert near observation post 247, located opposite the firing zone.
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Norway's northernmost military Observation Post (No. 247) on the coast to the Barents Sea. Sredny Peninsula visible in the horizon. Russia's artillery shooting will take place in the waters in between Grense Jakobselv and Sredny. (Picture source: Thomas Nilsen)

This year, Kumzha included five training scenarios, among which were the fight against fast-moving enemy motorboats, the search and attack of enemy submarines, and air defense exercises, according to the Northern Fleet.

A video of the exercise shows sailors firing machine guns at three approaching motorboats, resembling a Ukrainian maritime drone attack against Russian ships in the Black Sea.

The training also included escorting two minesweepers from the base by two large warships and a rescue operation for distressed sailors.

The exercises took place shortly after a major search and rescue exercise in Motovsky Bay, waters located west of the Rybachy Peninsula on the coast of the Barents Sea. The Barents exercise was led by the Murmansk Maritime Rescue Service in cooperation with FSB border guards and the Northern Fleet. Previously, the Barents exercise was organized in cooperation with Norwegian authorities.

The coastal warning (PRIP) announced by the Northwest Russia Port Administration in Murmansk is valid from June 4 to 6 and is titled "Varanger Fjord" and detailed as "artillery fire." Here, the maritime border was agreed upon in 2007 (Varanger Fjord Agreement) and further north, the 2010 Barents Sea and Arctic Ocean delimitation agreement (effective from 2011).

The artillery fire begins on Tuesday, June 4, close to the shore and only 4 nautical miles (about 8 km) from Grense Jakobselv.

Neither the NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) nor the coastal warnings specify whether the artillery fire will be conducted by Northern Fleet warships or FSB coast guard vessels. The latter has frequently sailed in recent years near the Norwegian coast, outside Grense Jakobselv.

Sredny, within the Fishermen’s Peninsula, is a well-known training area for Northern Fleet coastal forces. Pechenga hosts both the 200th Motor Rifle Brigade and the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade.

The Northern Fleet currently has five other areas north of the Kola Peninsula with live fire exercises from this weekend to next week. On Friday, the airspace over Kola Bay, from northern Severomorsk to the Barents Sea, is also closed. The same goes for two large land areas, from the town of Kola to the Russian border with Finnish Lapland. Currently, the Northern Fleet is deploying eleven surface ships, submarines, and support vessels.