The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) announced Wednesday the launch of a major multi-domain military operation dubbed "Arctic Sentry", as Russia warned of countermeasures over the "militarization" of the Arctic territory Greenland.
The "Arctic Sentry" mission is aimed at strengthening NATO's presence across the Arctic and High North regions, according to the alliance's Allied Command Operations, headquartered in Mons, Belgium.
Colonel Martin O'Donnell, spokesperson for NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, said earlier that the operation will feature regular naval exercises, intensified airspace monitoring with Allied fighter jets, and the temporary deployment of small army contingents to Denmark's autonomous territory of Greenland and other Arctic locations.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte revealed on Wednesday that tens of thousands of NATO military personnel are expected to participate in exercises conducted within the "Arctic Sentry" framework.
In Moscow, addressing the State Duma on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that Russia would respond with adequate countermeasures, including military ones, should Greenland be "militarized".
In a separate interview released online on the same day, Lavrov accused NATO of attempting to transform the Arctic into a theater of confrontation.
NATO has repeatedly engaged in provocations in the Arctic, but such actions will diminish quickly once their planners realize the serious consequences, said the Russian foreign minister.
U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in acquiring Greenland, which he said is vital to American national security. Trump has also proposed deploying a "Golden Dome" missile defense system on the Arctic island, a plan that has alarmed Russian officials.
Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said earlier that the Russian military would "closely monitor and analyze" Washington's intentions regarding Greenland.
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov also said earlier this month that the recent tensions surrounding Greenland stem from the U.S. desire to maintain its hegemony, vowing that Russia would ensure its national security under any circumstances.
NATO launches "Arctic Sentry" mission amid Russian warnings over Greenland militarization
NATO launches "Arctic Sentry" mission amid Russian warnings over Greenland militarization
An event to promote China Media Group's (CMG) 2026 Spring Festival Gala broadcast was held in Moscow, Russia on Tuesday, bringing together more than 1,000 people for cultural exchange.
The "Prelude to the Spring Festival Gala -- The World Watches the CMG Gala Together" event was jointly hosted by the CMG and the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia.
Shen Haixiong, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and president of the CMG, addressed the event via video link, vowing to present a cultural feast in 85 foreign languages to global audiences through the innovative application of "5G+4K/8K+AI" technologies.
Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui, Russian President's special envoy for relations with international organizations to achieve Sustainable Development Goals and the Russian chair of the China-Russia Friendship Committee for Peace and Development Boris Titov, along with several other senior Russian officials, also delivered speeches at the event.
During the event, Russian artist Anna Donchenko presented the CMG with a Chinese painting themed on the upcoming Chinese New Year -- which is a Year of the Horse in the Chinese zodiac -- on behalf of the Russian-China Friendship Committee.
The event also featured dance and music performances staged by the Russian National Ballet "Kostroma" and Chinese artists, as well as an exhibition and interaction area showcasing the CMG's creative cultural products and Chinese New Year customs, such as couplets, paper-cutting, sugar painting, and ethnic costumes to offer the guests a unique cultural experience.
The CMG has held "Prelude to the Spring Festival Gala" events around the world for three years in a row.
Recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's most-watched TV program, the Spring Festival Gala, also known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, has been a major cultural symbol for the Chinese New Year celebrations in China since its debut in 1983. On every Chinese New Year's Eve, families and friends across the country gather to enjoy a mixed show of songs, dances, comic sketches, operas, and folk arts, among other performances.
This year's Gala broadcast, ushering in the Year of the Horse, will begin at 20:00 Beijing time on Feb 16 and will be aired across multiple platforms, including CMG's 4K UHD channel, its 8K UHD channel, and various new media platforms.
The English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian-language channels of China Global Television Network (CGTN), along with 85 foreign language communication platforms, will cooperate with more than 3,300 overseas media outlets in over 200 countries and regions around the world in broadcasting and reporting on the gala.
CMG 2026 Spring Festival Gala broadcast promoted at event in Russia
