Russia has begun deploying ships armed with tactical nuclear weapons in the Baltic Sea for the first time since the Cold War, the Norwegian Intelligence Service said in a report on Feb. 13.
According to the report (pdf), the vessels belong to Russia’s Northern Fleet.
“With weakened conventional capability, the importance of nuclear weapons for Russia has increased significantly,” the report, which was translated by multiple outlets, said. “The Russian strategic and regional deterrent forces have thus become increasingly important for the Russian military power.”
The report claimed that Russia’s Northern Fleet warships were regularly deployed with nuclear weapons but said that this is the first time the Russian Federation has deployed them….