The Russian man in his 30s was arrested in Ullensvang in Vestland in October. Then he had flown the drone in several places in Western Norway for a period of two weeks. The man says he is the general manager of a travel agency in St. Petersburg, that he has been to 85 countries and has flown a drone in several. On Tuesday, he sat on the dock in Hordaland district court in Bergen in colorful hiking clothes. The bright green t-shirt read “Preikestolen”. – I think this is about politics, not laws, says the Russian man to news. Due to the sanctions regulations, it is illegal for Russians to fly aircraft in Norway. That includes drones, the Supreme Court has concluded. THE PULPIT: The Russian accused of flying a drone appeared in court wearing a Pulpit t-shirt. Photo: Julianne Bråten Mossing / news In court, the prosecutor presented a list of 16 places the man has flown the drone: 13 October in Dalen, Bykle, the river Okra, Lysevein, Lysebotn and Tjodapollen 14 October in Lysebotn, at Kjeragbolten, at the Flørlitrappene and Hafrsfjord 15 October at an unknown location 18 October in Stavanger 19 October at Preikestolen, at Tysdalsvatnet and Hjelmeland 20 October at Trolltunga in Tyssedal in Ullensvang and Vetlavatnet This is the first of four drone cases that will come up before Norwegian courts that apply to current sanction regulations Ukraine. PST is responsible for all drone investigations in Norway. news has gained access to several of the photos the Russian has taken. The overview pictures show, among other things, the pulpit from above. This is the drone with which the now drone-accused Russian took pictures and video in Norway. Drone image taken above the Pulpit in Rogaland. Landscape image taken from the drone of the Russian. Overview image taken from the air. Traveled because of the mobilization – I have traveled to 85 countries, and have visited Norway once before, five years ago. A drone provides beautiful images of nature and landscape, that’s all, says Maxim. He says that he went to Norway because of the mobilization in Russia. Before arriving in Norway in October, he had visited Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. – Because of the war, I have to be in different countries. I decided to travel to different countries because my child is in kindergarten. I am not a criminal, I have not done anything criminal. I don’t agree with the prosecutor, says the man. MAXIM: The man only wishes to be referred to by his first name Maxim, and will not be identified by picture in the media. Photo: Julianne Bråten Mossing / news – Serious backdrop Marit Formo warns that she will ask for an unconditional prison sentence. She emphasizes that the case does not concern mapping, espionage or that there is evidence that the defendant has in any way acted on behalf of the Russian authorities. – But we believe that in sentencing it is important to see the events in the light of the serious backdrop to the ban on flying drones in Europe and the security political situation that has arisen after the war in Ukraine, says Formo. According to Formo, the prosecution also wants to shed light on the general potential for damage when using drones. The police found nature photos taken with the drone. The man is charged with flying a drone in Norway. Photo: Screenshot from Instagram TRAVEL ROUTE: In these twelve places, in addition to Tjodapollen, Vetlavatnet, by the river Otra and an unknown place, the man flew a drone. In Lysebotn, at Kjeragbolten, in Stavanger and on Trolltunga, he has flown two trips. The videos were found on the man’s memory card. Tried to read up on regulations The defendant brought a new drone weighing less than 250 grams to Norway. In court, the man told that he lost the old man out at sea near the Faroe Islands due to strong winds. On his way to Norway, he flew via Poland because this was the cheapest option, the man told the court. There he bought a new drone. The defendant says he tried to read up on Norwegian rules about drone use online before he arrived in Norway. He says he found rules that it is not allowed to fly over large crowds and near private houses. But he says he did not find anything about Russians being prohibited from flying in Norway. – I understand that there are sanctions, but in my opinion sanctions are something to do with grand politics. I was not aware or could imagine that there was a ban for me as an ordinary tourist to use a tiny drone, he says. He claims he asked a police officer in Norway if it was okay for him to fly a drone. It must have been agreed to. The police officer will testify later in the case. The man was arrested with a drone, two passports and two mobile phones in Ullensvang. – Prestige case Defender Einar Råen says that the violation of the regulation is a trivial matter. He accuses the prosecution of putting the case in a stall with the security political situation in Ukraine. – My client has repeatedly told me that he fears that this is a precision case, said defender Einar Råen. He believes that it has not been possible for the defendant to familiarize himself with the regulations. – How accessible have the regulations been to my client when a decision in the Supreme Court is needed to clarify the scope of the regulations? asked the defender rhetorically in his opening statement. Defender Einar Råen says that the violation of the regulation is a trivial matter. Photo: Julianne Bråten Mossing / news
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– A drone provides beautiful images of nature and landscape, that’s all – news Vestland
