Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

UKRAINE

Ukraine thanks Norway for 1 billion kroner contribution aimed at repairing infrastructure

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj expressed his gratitude for Norway's contribution to repairing Ukraine's infrastructure.

Published: 11 December 2022 08:16 CET

Ukrainian flag

Photo by Slava L / Unsplash

On Friday, Norway signed an agreement aimed at repairing damaged infrastructure in Ukraine worth around 1 billion kroner.

“We are grateful that our Norwegian partners provided 1 billion Norwegian kroner for the reconstruction of the infrastructure after Russian attacks, which were particularly aimed at the power supply,” Zelenskyj wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

“With friends like that, I am sure we will provide electricity to every Ukrainian home,” he added.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt signed the agreement with the World Bank in Oslo on Friday.

“There is an urgent need to repair the power supply and other infrastructure in Ukraine after Russia’s bombing of civilian targets. Therefore, I am pleased that we have signed an agreement of 1 billion kroner which will quickly contribute to this,” Huitfeldt stated in a press release.

The Norwegian contribution to Ukraine will be provided through the World Bank’s multi-donor Ukraine Relief, Recovery, Reconstruction, and Reform Trust Fund (URTF).

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Norway uncovers Russian agents amid sabotage concerns

Torgils Lutro, head of PST Vest, disclosed in an interview with the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) that these agents may have been preparing for acts of sabotage.

NRK noted that potential targets could have included Haakonsvern, northern Europe’s largest naval base, as well as crucial oil, gas, and power facilities in the region.

Lutro said that Russian agents were focused on gathering intelligence on critical infrastructure, military installations, and Norwegian preparedness routines.

While the exact number of exposed agents remains undisclosed, the PST has previously warned about the risks posed by Russian espionage and that espionage activity has heightened since Russia invaded Ukraine.

“In Vestland (County), we have strongly suspected, but have also uncovered, hostile and unwanted Russian intelligence activities since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022,” Lutro said.

Russia’s motives

The PST Vest chief suggested that Russia aimed to tarnish Norway’s reputation among its allies.

“It’s evident that one of Russia’s objectives is to portray us in a negative light. They seek to demonstrate that we lack control over our own affairs or that we’re unable to support our allies during future crises,” he said.

Following the war in Ukraine, Norwegian authorities have expelled over 15 people from the Russian embassy in Norway over suspected espionage.

This has prompted Russia to reassess its intelligence personnel and resources, according to the PST.

“Identifying these agents isn’t straightforward. They blend into society, which is part of their job. They may not even hold Russian citizenship, but are motivated by factors like money or threats,” Lutro said.

The PST has consistently highlighted Russian intelligence activities as a growing threat to Norway’s security in its annual threat assessments, including the most recent one in 2024.

“We’ve employed various methods to uncover these activities, and in some instances, we have a clear understanding of how they operate,” Lutro said.

Url copied to clipboard!