Russia has never threatened anyone in the area, and will uphold its national interests there, president Putin has said

The US-led NATO bloc views the Arctic as a "bridgehead" for future conflicts and is actively training troops to operate in the far north, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.

Speaking at the International Arctic Forum in Murmansk on Thursday, he stated that Russia would do its best to uphold its national interests and sovereignty in the region.

The number of Russian forces deployed in the Arctic is bound to grow to meet the growing challenges there, Putin said.

"We are, of course, concerned by the fact that NATO countries as a whole are more frequently designating the far north as a bridgehead for possible conflicts, practicing the use of troops in these conditions, including their new recruits from Finland and Sweden," he declared.

Moscow has been "closely monitoring" the situation in the region, and has taken "an adequate response approach by increasing the combat capabilities of the armed forces and modernizing military infrastructure facilities," the president explained.

"I would like to emphasize that Russia has never threatened anyone in the Arctic," he said, adding that Russia will not tolerate any encroachments on its sovereignty and will "reliably protect" its national interests.

(RT.com)