as part of efforts to combat Russian threats in the region. Defence Secretary John Healey said the number of British troops stationed in Norway will increase from 1,000 to 2,000 personnel. According to Healey, Moscow is "rapidly re-establishing military presence in the region, including reopening old Cold War bases". His concern is echoed across Europe. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago, the continent has seen an increase in Kremlin aggression.

"Demands on defence are rising and Russia poses the greatest threat to Arctic and High North security that we have seen since the Cold War," Healey said. The High North includes the Arctic circle and areas adjacent to it, it is a term used to describe the northernmost part of the globe. The defence secretary will join his Nato counterparts at the alliance's headquarters in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the proposals. The announcement comes weeks after a rift between European allies and Washington over Greenland, which is also in the Arctic. US President Donald Trump had threatened to take over Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, citing alleged threats from Russia and China. He has since appeared to back down from plans to annex Greenland. The Arctic Sentry mission, proposed by Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, aims to bolster surveillance and security in the region - modelled on existing Nato alliances such as the Baltic Sentry and the Eastern Sentry.

As part of the expanded presence in the region, 1,500 Royal Marine Commandos will take part in Nato's Exercise Cold Response in March. The large-scale drill across Norway, Finland and Sweden is designed to train allied forces in extreme Arctic conditions. (BBC)