Russia hits the workshops supplying Ukraine, and the Nordic countries strengthen their preparedness

The Danish security service Politiets Efterretningstjeneste (PET) said on Wednesday that Russia is carrying out sabotage operations against Danish companies that supply Ukraine, particularly in weapons production. According to Reuters, the service described a development from extensive planning in the spring to several executed operations in early summer. PET has not said which companies were hit, or how severe the damage was. Russia denies the accusations.

The announcement shows that the war is also being fought against factories and supply lines far from the front. If a production line is stopped, the weapons are delayed before they even leave the country. Protecting the companies and the transport to the recipient thus becomes part of military preparedness.

Denmark consolidates its drone defense

Denmark is tying military and civilian security more closely together. On Thursday, the Danish Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organisation announced an agreement with Systematic on a system that gathers data from the drone defense’s sensors, so that the armed forces and, among others, the police see the same situational picture. Defense Minister Jeppe Bruus links the agreement to both drone protection and security of supply. In Aarhus, parts of the harbor are closed off until Sunday, October 11, while sensitive military materiel is shipped home. The Home Guardis guarding the area, and drones are not allowed to fly over it.

In the Faroe Islands, too, it is a matter of continuity. An agreement with Thales provides a temporary radar at Sornfelli, which will cover the period when the existing radar is taken down. It is expected to be operational toward the end of the year and is to maintain airspace surveillance during the modernization.

Norway strengthens intelligence and supplies

In Norway, the government on Wednesday presented a proposal of NOK 191.7 billion for the defense sector in 2027, with NOK 400 million more for the Intelligence Service. The proposal also includes a boost of NOK 6.5 billion in following up the long-term plan for the defense sector. A civilian security package of nearly NOK 2.2 billionincludes increases of NOK 250 million to the Police Security Service (PST) and NOK 178.9 million to the National Security Authority. All of these are proposals that the Storting is to consider.

The most everyday matter concerns fuel. The government wants to increase the emergency stockpiles from 20 to 40–45 days of consumption, because current stockpiles are too small in the event of a prolonged supply failure. The proposal is to go out for consultation by November, and the stockpiles are intended to be built up over three years. Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik also announced a national drone program of NOK 100 million, which is to gather the work on drones, drone defense, autonomy, and electronic warfare. The program is also to coordinate Norway’s drone and drone defense cooperation with NATO allies. At Andøya, NOK 323.3 million is proposed for a new launch pad, with a total cost of NOK 646 million and a goal of completion in 2028. The armed forces are to take over responsibility for security around the spaceport.

Digital infrastructure is also part of preparedness. The government proposes NOK 94 million for a national time service, which is to reduce critical societal systems’ dependence on satellite-based time. Such systems need precise and synchronized clocks to function, even when satellite signals are disrupted.

NATO tests the defense plans

Preparedness is also exercised in everyday life. The Home Guard is training from Saltstraumen to Meløy until October 13, and the Civil Defence is exercising at Meløy town hall on Thursday. In Oslo, police, fire, and health services are training for ongoing life-threatening violence, where the emergency services must act quickly and in a coordinated manner.

From Stavanger, NATO’s Joint Warfare Centre is leading the staff exercise Steadfast Duel, where around 8,000 military and civilian personnel are testing regional defense plans, particularly for the northwest and with Arcticrelevance. The exercise covers land, sea, air, space, and cyber. In Strike Warrior, more than 2,000 participants, including Norwegian forces, are training with eight warships and 19 aircraft on submarine hunting, amphibious landings, and supplies. The exercise prepares crisis response in the northern areas and the North Atlantic, ends on Friday, and includes vessels from NATO’s standing maritime group.

The ability to maintain contact under attack is being tested at the same time in Riga. Through DiBaX26, NATO is testing communications that withstand jamming, using civilian 5G networks, satellite, and alternative connections, as well as drone defense. The NATO Innovation Fund and Finland’s DEFINE have also agreed that defense technology can be tested in Finnish exercises, including in demanding cold and weather.

Coastal combat and espionage in Sweden

Sweden has its own exercise. In the Stockholm archipelago, around 800 people with 70 vessels and boats are training on coastal combat, mobilization, and drone use, together with the Coast Guard and the Swedish Maritime Administration. The exercise lasts until October 18 and is to strengthen the ability to keep sea lanes open for civilian transport and military forces.

At the same time, the security service Säpo is working on threats that are less visible. On Tuesday, the service said that the Svea Court of Appeal has upheld a conviction for attempted espionage against a person who traveled to Russiato establish contact with Russian intelligence. The person is sentenced to forensic psychiatric care, and a separate suspicion of planning a murder is still being investigated.

Finland reviews its security leadership

In Finland, the American destroyer USS Paul Ignatius arrives in Helsinki on Thursday, after exercises with Finlandand Sweden in the Bay of Bothnia. Navy Commander Tuomas Tiilikainen links the cooperation to securing sea connections and supplies. The sea lanes are to keep society running and make allied operations possible.

At home, Finland is reviewing how security work is organized. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has appointed investigators for the Security Committee and expanded the group looking at the governance of the security service Supo, with deadlines in February and March 2027. The Helsinki police are meanwhile investigating several suspected break-ins at members of parliament’s homes as attempted aggravated theft, with support from the criminal police and, if necessary, Supo. The perpetrators and motive are still unclear.

Ownership and digital dependencies are also being assessed as security matters. Defense Minister Antti Häkkänenrejected six property purchases on Wednesday. One in Kotka could threaten national security or security of supply, while the others lacked information from the applicants. Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen believes Europe must map its dependence on digital suppliers and test backup solutions before a crisis occurs.

On Thursday, President Alexander Stubb has a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre about Ukraine, European security, and control of advanced AI models. The agenda is confirmed, but no public report of the outcome exists.

Cooperation in the North Atlantic

Westward, it is about the North Atlantic. Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, Greenland’s head of government Jens-Frederik Nielsen, and the Faroe Islands’ head of government Beinir Johannesen met on Wednesday and visited the security area at Keflavík. The talks concerned shared interests and security challenges in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.

On Thursday and Friday, Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand visits Iceland to meet Frostadóttir and Foreign Minister Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir about Arctic security. The visit also includes Keflavík. Concrete results have not yet been documented.

No new confirmed border incidents, airspace violations, or cable attacks have been found in the Nordic region in the past two days, but some NATO command websites were unavailable during the check.

The EU finances weapons production

On Wednesday, the EU disbursed 1.24 billion euros for Ukrainian-produced drones, interceptor drones, ammunition, and missiles. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius link the disbursement to protecting people and infrastructure and to building up Ukraine’s defense industry, which is precisely the production that PET now says Russia is trying to hit.