(Oslo) Major energy supplier for Europe, Norway is alarmed by the multiplication on its territory of mysterious drone flights, behind which hovers the shadow of Russia suspected of spying more since the beginning of the war in Ukraine.
Posted at 10:19 a.m.
Amid countless reports of thefts of unmanned craft, some near oil rigs far out to sea, Norwegian police announced on Wednesday the arrest of a Russian citizen, the seventh in the space of a few days.
All are accused of illegally flying drones or violating photography bans in the kingdom which shares an Arctic border with Russia and is now Europe’s main gas supplier.
A few hours after a new drone flight briefly interrupted air traffic at the airport in Bergen (west), the country’s second largest city, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Wednesday implicated “foreign intelligence” and indirectly pointed finger Russia.
“Obviously it is unacceptable for foreign intelligence to fly drones over Norwegian airports,” he said, quoted by the NRK channel.
“The Russians are not allowed to fly drones in Norway,” he added.
In response to the invasion of Ukraine, Norway, like several other Western countries, prohibited Russians from flying over its territory, whether by plane or by drone. Any violation is punishable by up to three years in prison.
Now responsible for investigating the various incidents involving drones, the counterintelligence services (PST) say they cannot conclude at this stage who is behind it.
“There is an increased risk of espionage from Russia because of the war” in Ukraine, however repeated Wednesday the number two of PST, Hedvig Moe, during a press conference.
“And we consider the threat of sabotage against Norway more real than it was before the war” even if it remains “unlikely”, she added.
“Psychosis”
Drone sightings and alleged sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea have led Oslo to tighten security around its strategic infrastructure, including energy. National Guard ships, aircraft and soldiers were deployed.
According to the security services, the drones could be used for espionage purposes or to sow fear about Norway’s ability to guarantee the security of its energy deliveries.
Since the reduction in Russian deliveries, Norwegian gas is considered essential to cover the energy needs of a beleaguered Europe as winter approaches.
Criticized by Russia, the arrests of Russian citizens testify to the heightened vigilance of the Norwegian authorities.
The latest arrest concerns Andrei Yakunin, son of former Russian railway boss Vladimir Yakunin, considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Aged 47 and of dual Russian and British nationality, he was arrested on Monday in Hammerfest in northern Norway.
“The suspect has admitted flying a drone in Svalbard,” said police official Anja Mikkelsen.
Located a thousand kilometers from the North Pole, Svalbard (Spitsbergen) is a Norwegian territory with a strategic location in the heart of the Arctic.
Due to a special legal status that allows the exploitation of its resources by foreign nationals, the archipelago is home to a relatively large Russian mining community.
“Svalbard and the High North have long been important to Russia, but we believe they are even more so today as tensions rise,” noted Mr.me Moe.
The Russian Embassy in Oslo criticizes the “psychosis” which, according to it, has taken hold of Norway. On her Facebook page, she deplored the ban imposed on Russians to fly drones, an “unjustified” and “discriminatory” measure from which “ordinary tourists” suffer.