VLADIVOSTOK, September 1. /TASS/. The Arctic is being turned into a zone of military confrontation and Russia is recording provocations posed by the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance in this region, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said on Tuesday.

"We do see that the Arctic is currently being turned into a zone of military rivalry. We have registered a large number of military drills. We see provocative actions posed by the flights of strategic bombers," Grushko said speaking on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.

"NATO has launched its military initiative, called 'Arctic Sentry'. We see how weapons purchases evolve, including those intended for the Arctic class. We see how NATO’s infrastructure is shifting northward," the Russian diplomat noted.

In this regard, Grushko recalled that Norway had abandoned all self·imposed restrictions that "have been an integral part of the security landscape in the North for years."

"New phases are emerging and additional opportunities for projecting power onto our Russian North are emerging," Grushko added.

The Eastern Economic Forum is underway from September 1-4 in Vladivostok on the campus of the Far Eastern Federal University. The main theme of the EEF in 2026 is "The Far East: Development for the Benefit of People." The event is organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Russian government, with TASS serving as the general information partner.