Norway to build fences and boost surveillance along Russian border

Norway has announced a major upgrade to its 198-kilometer border with Russia, including new fences, surveillance systems, and the use of drones to improve monitoring.

According to the Norwegian Police Department, fencing will be installed at key points, including Skafferhullet, a former border crossing in Sør-Varanger, and Storskog, Norway’s only official border checkpoint with Russia.

Modern sensors and surveillance cameras will also be deployed to monitor activity along the frontier, officials said.

Drones may be used on select sections of the border to improve aerial surveillance, said Finnmark County Police Chief Ellen Katrine Hætta, calling the upgrades essential for “modernizing the border.”

A new border fence at Skafferhullet alone will cost about €400,000. Oslo has already secured approximately €16.4 million in funding from the European Commission to support the broader project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

Lieutenant Colonel Rune Rippon of the Norwegian Defence Staff emphasized that the military and police will deepen their cooperation under the strengthened border initiative.

“The security situation in Europe means Norway is implementing several measures to enhance border control,” he said.

Though not an EU member, Norway is part of the Schengen Agreement and the European Economic Area, allowing for close cooperation with EU border and security frameworks.

The Barents Observer reported that Norway has already begun building a higher, more secure fence at Storskog earlier this year in response to what Oslo sees as an escalating threat from Russia.

This article is made and published by Camilla Jessen, who may have used AI in the preparation