in Norway, the town of Kirkenes in a semblance of the Cold War

In Norway, the town of Kirkenes, on the border with Russia, has seen its history turned upside down since the start of the war in Ukraine.

The Norwegian Arctic is experiencing a return to the Cold War at the end of 2023. Only 250 km from the naval base which houses the most powerful Russian fleet and its nuclear submarines, the border town of Kirkenes, in Norway, had prospered greatly thanks to trade and cooperation with Russia. However, since the start of the war in Ukraine, everything has changed, or almost everything, in this city which represents the last land border in the Schengen area still open to Russian tourists with a visa.

Since October 2023, they can no longer pass by car but only by bus. Restrictions which are added to the sanctions and further disrupt the daily life of this city, which for 30 years had relied on cooperation with its big neighbor.

“It has a big impact on the city’s economy.”

A few days before Christmas, that day, it is 1 p.m., it is -15 degrees, the polar night has fallen and businesses are slowing down. “We have a lot fewer Russian customers, which has a big impact on the city’s economy”testifies a man. “The Russians are afraid that the border will close completely, that’s what they tell me,” adds a woman.

Of the 3,500 inhabitants of Kirkenes, 400 have a Russian passport. 10% of the region’s inhabitants have origins in Russia. Near the ice rink, Ailo, 32, bears witness to this.“We have friends, neighbors, children… My generation grew up with the Russians, they are an integral part of the community. There are debates, but we all agree to condemn the invasion of Russia. ‘Ukraine”, he assures.

“It is essential to maintain good relations with Russia”

In recent months, more and more dissidents who do not want to join the front have settled here. The former mayor, Rune Rafaelsen, was the linchpin of cross-border cooperation: “This is the geopolitical center of Norway, where the real challenges are.” He defends the fact that Russian fishing boats continue to dock and refuel at the port despite the sanctions. “It is no worse than the many European countries that still buy gas from Russia. Maintaining good relations with Russia is essential to manage fisheries in the Barents Sea. This is the kitchen of Europe !”exclaims the former mayor.

In the taiga and on the frozen river, the 200 km of border are marked by simple blocks and buoys in summer. Opposite, Russia is barricaded behind a barbed wire fence, equipped with sensors. Rolf Randa is a retired border guard: “We usually say that we have one thing in common with the Russian border guards, we all look to the east. This is their main mission: that their fellow citizens do not flee to Norway.” More than thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the city’s future is being played out in the shadow of a new Iron Curtain.