Kathrine Frich
Along Europe’s northern edge, daily life can look calm.
But Norwegian forces say they are watching more closely as tensions with Moscow deepen.
New reports describe suspected Russian activity blending into civilian routines, testing what can be seen and what can’t.
On the northern border
Russian agents have been caught inside Norway posing as fishermen and tourists, Norway’s military said, according to the Daily Express.
The reported incidents were linked to Kirkenes, a port city in the far north near Norway’s border with Russia.
Norway shares a land border with Russia stretching almost 124 miles, the report said, placing the NATO member at the front line of regional security concerns.
The Daily Express said Moscow has increased intelligence-gathering as relations between Russia and the West continue to deteriorate.
Vigilance in Finnmark
Commander John Olav Fuglem of the Finnmark Brigade told Sweden’s SVT: “We see a bigger threat up here and it is mainly espionage and gathering information,”
“We see a bigger threat up here and it is mainly espionage and gathering information,” Commander John Olav Fuglem of the Finnmark Brigade told Sweden’s SVT. “When you live here, you become a little more vigilant.
“And you quickly see if there are people with a different dialect who are walking around taking pictures, who are in places they should not be, or who are in places that are important to us. We notice that.”
The Daily Express said the Finnmark Brigade was established last year in response to heightened Russian aggression and intelligence activity.
Sanctions and suspicion
Norwegian authorities have also been dealing with concerns about Russian fishing vessels, the report said, including alleged surveillance of underwater infrastructure.
It said the Norwegian government imposed sanctions last July on two major Russian fishing companies, Norebo and Murman Seafood, over suspected espionage.
A Norwegian border guard also told SVT: ““We have a lot to do here at the border and we have a good dialogue with those who live in the area.
“They are attentive to whether there is something that does not seem right.”
Sources: Daily Express, SVT
