Russia's quieter submarines raise NATO concerns in the Arctic

A former NATO commander says Russia’s newer, quieter nuclearpowered submarines are making it harder for the alliance to monitor the Arctic and North Atlantic. The warning comes as NATO and Russia both increase their focus on the High North, including waters near the GIUK Gap and the routes leading into the Atlantic. Retired Gen. Philip Breedlove said Russia’s submarine force, backed by expanded infrastructure on the Kola Peninsula, is creating a more difficult undersea security problem for NATO. He said the alliance must keep adapting its surveillance and tracking systems as Russian submarines become harder to detect. NATO has been reinforcing its northern posture this year through new initiatives such as Arctic Sentry and Forward Land Forces Finland. At the same time, Moscow has criticized the buildup, arguing that greater Western military activity in the Arctic raises the risk of escalation.