The mayor of Sør-Varanger feels so threatened that the image of the drone has been reported to the police. – There are forces that want to make me a little afraid. Who want to make me shut up, but I am very clear that I will not be bullied along, says Mæland. Russia’s war in Ukraine increases the tension in Kirkenes. In the middle of the city stands the liberation monument. The statue honors Soviet soldiers who drove German troops out of Eastern Finnmark in 1944. When the anniversary was to be marked on 25 October this year, there was a conflict between Mæland and the Russian consul. He moved away the Russian wreath. The reason was that it was placed over the municipality’s wreath. The incident has led to sharp comments on social media. Increases security As is well known, Russia has gone to full-scale war against Ukraine. Therefore, Sør-Varanger municipality did not want to have any commemoration this year together with the Russian authorities. This has been common. The Russian consul, who has an office in Kirkenes, nevertheless showed up. In an open group on Facebook, Mæland is harassed for what he did. Here, people who supported the mayor by clapping are also referred to as brainwashed. It is this Facebook profile that posted the image which the mayor of Sør-Varanger perceives as so threatening that the matter has been reported to the police. It is on this group that a manipulated photo of Sør-Varanger’s mayor with a rocket – an attack drone – aimed at his head was posted. The person who posted the photo may have a fake profile. That’s because the profile picture was probably created with the help of artificial intelligence. This record has now been removed. Nevertheless, Mæland reacts so strongly that the case has been reported to the police. The case is being investigated as a criminal matter. This is confirmed by the police in Finnmark. Mæland has also implemented measures to secure itself. – Unfortunately, I have to. I don’t want my family to be affected by me being mayor, but I have to. So I have taken precautions, says Mæland without wanting to explain what this is. 1,000 roses Mæland believes the episode at the monument on 25 October was a directed provocation from the Russian side. On Friday 3 November, the statue was surrounded by a sea of flowers and candles. He was also surprised by this. – I saw it as a nice gesture, but I was a little taken aback that money had been collected from several parts of Europe and Russia. I question whether it was an attempt to stir up something more about what happened on 25 October. The woman behind the action tells newspaper Sagat that more than 1,000 roses were laid down. The Sea of Roses came about after a spontaneous collection on Facebook. Here she received close to NOK 15,000 from close to 200 people, according to herself. Most of the money came from Russians throughout Norway. But money also came from Latvia, Russia, Lithuania, Germany, Ukraine, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Italy, Azerbaijan and Estonia. – The money was used to buy a total of 1,064 roses and 60 candles, says the woman to Sagat. Over 1,000 roses were laid around the liberation monument in Kirkenes. Russians all over Europe are said to have contributed money to the sea of flowers. Photo: Kristin Humstad / news – I have no contact with the Russian authorities. This was my own idea. Ordinary people sent me money, she says to news. That Mæland suggests that the sea of roses is an attempt to make up for what happened on 25 October, she comments with a small laugh: – He fantasizes far too much about Russians and Russia. The rose action has received thanks from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via the Russian Consulate General in Kirkenes. In the post on Facebook, it is claimed that indifference is shown to the Soviet soldiers who fell in the fight for the liberation of Eastern Finnmark. The woman does not know who posted the picture of the mayor with a drone pointing at his head. – I have no idea. Russian influence The mayor himself is certain that people in Sør-Varanger and Finnmark are now exposed to what he believes to be Russian influence operations. The Russian embassy in Norway rejects this: “When it comes to statements about so-called influence operations, this is just nonsense,” the embassy replies in an email to news. PST on influence Several of the foreign intelligence services operating in Norway are tasked with influencing political decisions and Norwegian opinion formation. PST has so far not seen extensive influence or disinformation campaigns against political processes in Norway. We must nevertheless be prepared that foreign intelligence services, especially Russian and Chinese, will try to influence decision-makers and the Norwegian population in 2023. Attempts to influence can take various forms. Foreign intelligence services will, among other things, use traditional media, alternative media and social media to spread their messages. These media can be used to spread disinformation, initiate smear campaigns and spread rumors and half-truths. In Norway, some foreign intelligence officers will also work targeted at people who have political influence, in order to try to influence the outcome of individual cases. For many years, Russia has shown the ability and willingness to carry out influence operations in Western countries. PST expects that Russia will also try to influence Norwegian decision-makers and the Norwegian population in matters of great importance to Russia this year. The Russian authorities will, for example, have a lot to gain from dividing Western unity over further military support for Ukraine and economic measures against Russia. In previous years, Russia has tried to influence democratic processes and elections in several countries. PST has so far not uncovered such influence attempts in Norway. Among other things, China is expected to carry out influence activities against persons in Norway who openly criticize what China considers to be its core interests. SOURCE: PST’s national threat assessment 2023 At the SKUP journalist conference in Tønsberg this spring, the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) talked about its working methods. Here, head of counterintelligence Inger Haugland also told how Russian intelligence organizations such as the FSB and GRU work to influence the public debate in other countries. – This is damaging activity that is not about obtaining information, but an activity that is about influencing, disturbing and destroying. This is activity that is about intimidating, influencing decisions, influencing social debate and influencing social debaters, said Haugland. PST’s head in Finnmark, Johan Roaldsnes, will not comment on specific cases, but believes it is likely that Russian influence operations are ongoing in Finnmark. – For around 10 years, it has been seen that Russia has used war memorial history in northern Norway to consolidate its own position as a liberator in the north and create a dividing line against Norway’s membership in NATO, says Roaldsnes. This is the type of activity Mæland now believes is taking place in Sør-Varanger. Over 400 Russians live in the municipality. Mæland believes that there is only a small clique of Russians and Norwegians who support Putin’s war in Ukraine. – The Putin regime wants to influence us here in Sør-Varanger. They use all means to be able to do it, even with fake profiles. It is quite clear what agenda many of these fake profiles in social media have. They want to show that we here in Sør-Varanger and Norway are wrong about the war in Ukraine. He himself is worried that his openness will now make him a target for online trolls. This will make the job he is actually supposed to do as mayor more difficult. The county mayor of Finnmark, Hans-Jacob Bønå, has also received what he describes as questionable and unpleasant messages. Photo: KAROLINE SØRENSEN BRANDTZÆG Has contacted PST County mayor Hans-Jacob Bønå in Finnmark has also recently contacted PST. He has received 10-12 inquiries from what he believes to be Russian interests. The reason, Bønå believes, is that he wants to invite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj to Finnmark next year. It is then 80 years since liberation. Official Russia is not invited. Bønå will not say more about the content of the messages than that they are questionable and unpleasant. New Russian drone The name of the drone aimed at the mayor’s head is “Scalpel”. Lars Peder Haga, associate professor at the Norwegian Air Force College, Air Force College, tells news that this is a relatively new Russian weapon. The drone has recently been put into mass production. The oldest picture Haga finds of this unmanned kamikaze weapon is from September 10 this year and was published by the Russian news agency TASS. According to TASS, the Russian army began using the drone in 2020. The weapon is said to have been used with great effect, over 600 times in Ukraine.
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