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Norway’s envoy to Moscow summoned after arrests of Russians

Moscow on Monday summoned the Norwegian ambassador after a number of Russians were arrested in the Nordic country over the use of drones.

Published: 28 November 2022 15:01 CET
Updated: 28 November 2022 17:13 CET
Pictured is the Kremlin.
Norway's envoy to Moscow has been summoned over the arrest of Russian citizens in Norway. Photo: People walk along a bridge in front of the Kremlin's tower in Moscow on November 6, 2022. Photo by Yuri Kadobnov / AFP.

The Russian foreign ministry said it had told Norway’s envoy Robert Kvile that Oslo should stop persecuting “Russian citizens on the basis of their nationality”.
 

Last week a Russian man was sentenced to 90 days in jail in Norway for flying a drone over Norwegian territory in violation of a ban adopted in
response to Moscow’s offensive in Ukraine.

Nearly a dozen Russians have been arrested in Norway in recent weeks for violating the flight ban or the ban on photographing sites deemed sensitive, as the country has heightened security around strategic infrastructure. The Norwegian ban includes the use of drones.

“We have noted that the sentences against the Russians are politically motivated and have nothing to do with the principles of fair and unbiased
justice,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

Now Europe’s main supplier of natural gas, Norway has been on high alert since mysterious unmanned aircraft were spotted near strategic sites, including oil and gas platforms far offshore, over the past few weeks.

“Our ambassador took the opportunity to inform (Russia) of Norwegian legislation on sanctions,” Lars Gjemble, a spokesman for Norway’s foreign ministry, said in a comment to media on the summoning.

“He also reviewed the cases that are currently being processed in Norwegian courts. The meeting was held in a good tone,” he added.

The meeting with the Norwegian envoy took place on the eve of the opening of another trial in the northern city of Tromso, involving Andrei Yakunin — son of the former head of Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, considered a confidant of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.

The British-Russian national is accused of flying a drone in Svalbard during a trip around the strategically located archipelago in the Arctic.

His lawyer has stated he intends to use his British citizenship to ask for an acquittal.

Last month, the Russian embassy in Oslo criticised what it said was a “psychosis” in Norway, a NATO member with which Russia shares a 198-kilometre
(123-mile) border in the far north.

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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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