Norway has sent about 13,500 "preparatory requisition" notices warning that vehicles, boats, machinery and property could be requisitioned for military use if war with Russia breaks out. Most letters were renewals and are valid for one year; officials say the move is meant to ensure the armed forces have necessary resources. Norwegian leaders describe the security situation as the gravest since World War II, citing rising Arctic tensions and expanded Russian military activity.
Norway Issues 13,500 Notices Warning Property Could Be Requisitioned If War Breaks Out
Norway plays a key role in Nato surveillance - Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP
Norwegian authorities have sent about 13,500 preparatory requisition notices to private citizens, warning that homes, vehicles, boats and other assets could be requisitioned for military use if a wartime situation arises with Russia. Each notice is valid for one year and is intended as an advance alert to owners whose property could be called on for national defence.
What Officials Say
The Norwegian military described the letters as a practical step to ensure the armed forces have access to resources needed in a conflict. “The requisitions are intended to ensure that, in a wartime situation, the armed forces have access to the resources necessary for the defence of the country,” the military said.
Donald Trump has threatened to use military force to annex Greenland - Jim Watson/AFP
Officials note that roughly two thirds of recipients simply received renewals of existing requisition notices. Anders Jernberg, head of the military logistics organisation, said the security environment has deteriorated: “The importance of being prepared for crisis and war has increased dramatically in recent years.”
“Norway is in the most serious security policy situation since the Second World War. Our society must be prepared for security policy crises and, in the worst case, war... we are undertaking a major build-up of military and civil preparedness.” — Anders Jernberg
Arctic Tensions and Strategic Context
Norway plays a key role in NATO surveillance of the Arctic, where melting ice has opened new shipping routes and intensified competition for resources. Norway shares both a maritime border and a 123-mile land border with Russia in the far north.
Norwegian officials and some analysts cite increased Russian activity — including renovation of former Soviet bases and a buildup of military capabilities on the Kola Peninsula — alongside growing Chinese interest in the region. Norway’s defence minister warned that Moscow is expanding infrastructure and testing advanced weapons, and that the Arctic is becoming a focal point for great-power competition.
Political Backdrop
The requisition notices arrived amid broader diplomatic rows involving Arctic policy. Reporting around proposals to acquire Greenland — an autonomous Danish territory — and related tensions between the United States and European partners provided additional political context to heightened regional concerns. Danish and Greenlandic authorities have said Greenland is not for sale.
What This Means For Citizens
Recipients should treat the letters as official notifications: most are renewals, not new seizures. The notices do not mean assets will be taken immediately, but they do indicate steps Norwegian authorities are taking to prepare for worst-case scenarios as regional tensions rise.
Help us improve.
