Aldrimer.no, an independent Norwegian news outlet, claimed that Russian special forces had been spotted and photographed by American spy planes, according to the Wirtualna Polska website.

Russian soldiers are said to have been dressed as civilians, but a submarine used to transport special forces was also spotted, the website reported.

The forces allegedly scouted the archipelago and studied key Norwegian infrastructure, the Wirtualna Polska website reported.

According to the Svalbard Treaty from 1920, Norway has sovereignty over the Svalbard Archipelago.

The document regulated the demilitarization of the archipelago, but its signatories retained the right to engage in commercial activities.

(jh/pk)

Source: Wirtualna Polska