Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Dmitry Medvedev recently stated that Russia will respond to the deployment of Western forces in the Arctic region by sending troops to Washington, Paris, and London. Medvedev expressed his belief that this action would be seen as a direct retaliation by the Arctic nations and would lead to an escalation on the international stage. He also warned that the Western elites would not be able to escape Russia’s response in the capital cities mentioned. Prior to this announcement, the Russian Ministry of Defense had already planned “pre-programmed” military activities, which would showcase the unconventional use of non-military Arctic equipment, involving various military forces such as the Northern Fleet amphibious assault and air defense forces. The Kremlin later affirmed that these exercises were in response to the announcement of US forces being sent to the Arctic by Western officials. Russian Defense Minister Dmitry Peskov emphasized that there would be evidence presented to counteract the assertions made by the presidents of France and the spokesperson for the UK’s foreign operations. The overall goal is to prevent further escalation in the Arctic region.