In a few days, two Russians have been arrested by the police after flying drones in Norway. Photographic equipment has been seized, and the police have said that they have found, among other things, pictures of Norwegian military helicopters. Recently, a number of suspicious drone flights have been reported, including around Norwegian oil and gas installations. Russians are not allowed to fly in Norway, either with planes or drones. It follows from the sanctions that were put in place after Russia invaded Ukraine. The flight ban is given in a regulation that applies over the Norwegian mainland, Svalbard and Jan Mayen, in addition to the airspace over Norwegian maritime territory. But despite the ban, the Directorate of Customs has no way to prevent Russians from taking drones across the border to Norway. – It is not in itself illegal for travelers to carry drones, but as a result of the sanctions regime there are restrictions on drone flying for Russian citizens, writes the Customs Agency in an e-mail to news, where communications director Kim Gulbrandsen is given as the source. Director of Communications Kim Gulbrandsen in the Directorate of Customs. Photo: The Directorate of Customs He does not want to be interviewed, and the communications department in the Customs Agency has not wanted anyone from the specialist departments to answer questions from news. But Gulbrandsen emphasizes that the controls at Storskog border station have been intensified. – Both the Customs and the police have intensified the control at Storskog, and there is good cooperation between the Customs and the police on site, according to Gulbrandsen. Will not ban Russians from bringing drones with them Should Russian citizens be allowed to bring drones into Norway, even if they are not allowed to use them? Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl does not currently want to ban Russians from bringing drones into Norway, but says they are regularly discussing new measures. – We have a security situation that has changed significantly since the war broke out. We cannot rule out either additional sanctions, a closed border or even stronger tightening of the exemptions from the sanctions regulations. Drones can be bought in Norway Police chief in Finnmark, Ellen Katrine Hætta, says a possible ban will not affect their work. – You can buy drones everywhere. It won’t get any easier if we get a ban, says Hætta. Member of the justice committee for the Liberal Party in the Storting, Ingvild W. Thorsvik, says the party must take a closer look at the problem. A ban on the sale of drones would be difficult to enforce, and could create a false sense of security. It is not just drones that are the problem, but also cameras. So if drones are banned, it is still possible to find other ways to survey objects worthy of protection, she points out. Professor of security studies at UiT – Norway’s Arctic University, Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv, does not think it is appropriate to deny Russian citizens the introduction or purchase of drones. – It will be very difficult to have control over. Second, and even more important: it does not make sense from a security point of view to antagonize all Russians in that way. Yes, we must deter those who mean us harm, but at the same time we must reassure the Russian population, both here in Norway and outside the country, that we do not regard them as enemies, says Gjørv.
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Legal for Russians to bring drones into Norway – news Troms and Finnmark
