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Norwegian authorities detain drone-carrying Russian headed for home

Norway said Friday it had detained a Russian caught crossing the border in the Scandinavian nation's far north as he returned home with two drones and a cache of photos and videos.

Published: 14 October 2022 16:12 CEST
Pictured is Norway's border with Russia.
Norwegian authorities have detained a Russian citizen at the border .File photo: A general view of the Norwegian border crossing station at Storskog. Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND / AFP

The move comes as Norway is on high alert following several reports of mysterious drone sightings close to offshore oil and gas drilling platforms run by major energy producer Norway.

Last month’s Nord Stream gas pipeline blasts in the Baltic Sea are widely assumed to be the result of sabotage.

The man, named as 50-year-old Vitaly Rustanov, was arrested this week at the border post of Storskog, the only transit point between Norway and Russia. A judge at a court in Vadso ordered Rustanov placed in custody for two weeks in line with a police request.

“There are… reasons to believe the accused will try to escape judicial proceedings unless he is placed in provisional custody,” the judge ruled. Rustanov was carrying two Russian passports and an Israeli one when arrested, he noted.

According to the judge’s ruling, Rustanov, had admitted to flying drones “across the whole country” but denied any wrong-doing.

In Norway since August, he was carrying a partially encrypted four-terabyte stash of photos and videos when arrested.

“He has explained he was in Norway as a tourist visiting somebody,” policen official Anja Indbjor told Verdens Gang daily.

“He has explained he photographed and flew a drone for private reasons and indicated he likes taking photos and is a photographer,” added Indbjor.

Norway, along with several other Western countries, has forbidden Russians and Russian entities from overflying its territory following the February invasion of Ukraine. Breaking that ban is punishable by a three-year prison term. Rustanov told police he was unaware of the ban.

With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine having led to a huge fall-off of Moscow’s energy deliveries, Norway has overtaken Russia as the main supplier of natural gas to Western Europe.

Following the Nord Stream explosions and drone sightings, Norway increased security around its energy installations.

Norwegian media reported that another drone had been seen late Thursday overflying a gas treatment facility at Karsto in the southwest of the country.

Police urged the public to pass on any information as they sought further clues as to who was responsible.

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POLITICS

Norway uncovers Russian agents amid sabotage concerns

The Norwegian intelligence service, PST, has revealed the presence of multiple Russian agents operating in western Norway.

Published: 3 May 2024 10:43 CEST
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.

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