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OPERATION NORTHERN TEMPEST

Background:

By early 1976, the Cold War had entered a new phase of instability. Tensions were on the rise following aggressive Soviet military exercises in the Baltic region. Western intelligence detected unusual activity within the Soviet Baltic Fleet, but the West underestimated the boldness of Moscow’s next move.

The Invasion:

Date: February 21, 1976
Location: Bornholm Island, Denmark (Baltic Sea)

At 04:00 hours, under heavy fog and radio silence, the Soviet Union launched Operation Red Hammer, a surprise amphibious and airborne assault on the Danish island of Bornholm. Utilizing elements of the 336th Guards Naval Infantry Brigade, supported by Tu-95 electronic warfare aircraft and Baltic Fleet warships, Soviet forces landed near Rønne, the island’s largest town.

By 08:00, Soviet paratroopers and naval infantry had seized Rønne Airport, establishing a forward operating base for Soviet aircraft including MiG-23 fighters, Su-17 fighter-bombers, and il-76 transport planes. Within 24 hours, mobile SAM systems (SA-6 “Gainful”) and radar arrays were deployed around the airfield, turning Bornholm into a heavily fortified airbase capable of threatening NATO sea lanes and mainland Denmark.

Denmark issued a formal protest. Sweden and Norway entered heightened alert. However, NATO response was deliberately delayed, fearing that immediate action might provoke a general war in Europe.

NATO’s Delayed Response:

Following the Soviet occupation of Bornholm Island on February 21, 1976, tensions soared across Northern Europe. For 10 days, NATO remained in a state of calculated restraint, wary of igniting a wider conflict. However, growing pressure from member states—especially Denmark, the United Kingdom, and West Germany—combined with intelligence of missile deployments on the island, forced NATO’s hand.

On March 1, the NATO Council approved limited military action to retake Bornholm under Article 5 defense provisions, framing the operation as a liberation of sovereign NATO territory.