Yakunin is charged with violating the sanctions that prohibit Russian citizens from flying drones in Norwegian airspace. He himself claims that he was not aware of the rules, and considers himself to have the most connection to Great Britain. The prosecution believes that it should not exempt him from punishment, because he should have checked this up and that it is up to the Norwegian state to judge which nationality should be used as a basis. – All the warning lights should have rung, said prosecutor Kristin Røhne in the court in Tromsø on Thursday. Greater context The public prosecutor’s office believes that the seriousness of the act cannot be viewed in isolation, but in a larger context. The prosecutor pointed out that information from drone videos can be used to prepare and plan possible sabotage from the Russian side. – In order to prevent Russian intelligence in Norway, a provision must also affect tourists. Then you will also be able to capture a tourist who is on a mission for Russian intelligence, said prosecutor Røhne. – An exception for tourists would have completely undermined the regulation. Active outdoorsman Yakunin was arrested in Hammerfest on 17 October and eventually prosecuted for breaking the ban on flying drones in Norway for Russian citizens. He had then been on a sailing trip in Svalbard where he had used a drone to take pictures. The father of businessman Yakunin is claimed to have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Andrey Yakunin considers himself to be an active outdoorsman who likes to share his nature experiences with others, through, among other things, drone photos.
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Demands a prison sentence for drone charges Andrey Yakunin – news Troms and Finnmark
