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Suspected Russian spy arrested in Norway

Norway's counter-espionage service PST said on Tuesday it had arrested a suspected Russian spy masquerading as a Brazilian academic.

Published: 26 October 2022 09:41 CEST

Pictured is Tromsø.

Norway on Tuesday arrested a suspected Russian spy in the northern city of Tromsø. Pictured is Tromsø. Photo by Sebastian Herrmann on Unsplash

The suspect was detained on Monday morning as he was making his way to his job at Tromso university, in northern Norway, public broadcaster NRK said.

“We think he’s working undercover for the Russian authorities,” PST deputy director Hedvig Moe told broadcaster TV2.

“An undercover agent is someone who gathers information, most often for his or her country of origin — in this case Russia and the Russian intelligence services,” she said.

The PST, which said it had been coordinating with intelligence services from allied nations, wants the suspect expelled from Norway. In the meantime, he has been slapped with a four-week detention order.

The alleged spy worked at Tromso university on Norway’s Arctic policy and “hybrid” threats, the PST said.

The latest affair follows a rash of arrests of Russian citizens accused of flying drones over Norwegian territory in violation of a ban imposed in the wake of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Other Russians have been detained in Norway on charges of illegally photographing sensitive sites. Norway is a member of the NATO military alliance.

In the Arctic Circle, it shares a 198-kilometre (123-mile) border with Russia, which it has displaced as Europe’s top supplier of natural gas.

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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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