– It didn’t exactly come like lightning out of the blue, says Svalbard’s head of state, Lars Fause. He talks about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Because already the day before, the Norwegian authorities in Svalbard were prepared for what would happen on 24 February 2022. The Governor was well briefed by the central authorities in the Police Security Service (PST). – We knew up on Svalbard that this would happen already the night before, and were reasonably sure that there would be an invasion of Ukraine, says Fause. This is so far unknown information, and says something about the uncertainty of unrest in the archipelago. Unrest in Barentsburg? – After the emergency response council, we had to start thinking a bit more long-term, and we were very unsure of how this crisis would end. Knowing that Russia was going to invade Ukraine, and when it was going to happen, was important information for the leadership in Svalbard. Because even though Barentsburg is built on Norwegian soil, this is in practice a Russian city. The background is that it is the Russian state-owned mining company Trust Arktikugol that has built up the community there after the Soviet Union took over the coal mines there 90 years ago. Today, 70 percent of the population of the city are Ukrainians. The rest are Russians. Barentsburg is on Norwegian soil, but is in practice governed by Russia. The picture shows the Russian Consulate General in Barentsburg. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad / news – What we feared most was that there would be unrest in Barentsburg. Disagreements and conflicts could arise in that society, says Mayor Fause. In addition, they feared unrest and conflicts in Longyearbyen, where 43 residents with Ukrainian citizenship and 59 with Russian citizenship lived at the time. – It was very important to maintain our own preparedness, so we had the capacity to handle the assignment as far into the crisis spectrum as possible. Among other things with helicopters, vessels and police personnel, says Fause. Allied info Head teacher in intelligence at the Norwegian Defense Academy, Tom Røseth, says that it is not surprising that the head of state could have an inkling whether an invasion would take place. He points out that several Western states, especially the United States and Great Britain, knew about the invasion in advance. Tom Røseth, head lecturer in intelligence at the Norwegian Defense Academy, says that several western states had knowledge of the invasion in advance. Photo: Dan Henrik Klausen – You become more and more confident as the time of invasion approaches. A few days before, you were completely sure, says Røseth. The information from the other western countries was passed on to the Norwegian Intelligence Service. They informed the PST, who further informed the registrar. – So this is information that the intelligence services in the West have known over time. It’s clear you stay, explains Røseth. news has been in contact with the Ministry of Justice, which does not wish to comment on the case. Tense situation 15 months after the invasion, the situation on the island is tense, especially in Barentsburg. – Some episodes of unrest have been reported, but roughly speaking, we feel that those in Barentsburg are loyal to the Russian regime, says Fause. Photo: Ida Louise Rostad Because while large parts of the world have cut off their contact with Russia, the head of state is one of the few who still has contact with the Russian authorities. – We have maintained the contact meetings with Trust Arktikugol as before, with the exception that social events have ended, says the mayor. He describes today’s communication as just as good as before the invasion. Nevertheless, the mayor has increased his presence in the city. – Instead of being there once a month, we are there with police personnel every 14 days, says Fause. You can hear more about this and learn more about Svalbard, in the program ‘kokepunkt Svalbard’, which is broadcast live on news P2 at 10.00, 29 May. Or you can hear it whenever you want on news Radio.
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Feared unrest in Barentsburg when Russia invaded Ukraine – news Troms and Finnmark
