Until now, Norway has been very reticent about sending Russian diplomats home. Now the picture changes. Never before has Norway declared so many Russian diplomats undesirable at once, as today. 15 diplomats have been declared undesirable, because Norway believes they are not diplomats, but work with Russian intelligence. The expulsions come just days before news, SVT, DR and Yle publish an extensive work specifically on Russian intelligence in the Nordics. In an exclusive interview with news, PST confirms for the first time that, before today’s news, there were around 20 Russian intelligence officers in this country. Four of the Russian intelligence officers in Norway are: Vladislav Olegovich KhlestovRussian military intelligence service, GRU39 years old Defense attaché at the Russian embassy in OsloAKTIVMaxim Vitalevich KolossRussian military intelligence service, GRU. 53 years oldCounselor at the Russian Embassy in OsloACTIVEMaksim Viktorovich ToroptsevRussian military intelligence service, GRU35 years old Attaché at the Russian Embassy in OsloACTIVESemen Ivanovich SeliverstovRussian military intelligence service, GRU35 years old Attaché at the Russian Embassy in OsloACTIVE In the documentary series “The Shadow War”, various sources tell of a large and growing intelligence activity in the Nordic countries. The series will be published on news TV in April. The identity of the intelligence officers has been confirmed to news by several independent sources. In an interview, PST confirms for the first time the extent of Russian intelligence in Norway. – Some of what we see is what is referred to as “intelligence officers under diplomatic cover”. This is what Inger Haugland, head of the department for counterintelligence in the Police Security Service (PST), told news. Inger Haugland, head of the department for counterintelligence in the Norwegian Police Security Service, PST, confirms for the first time the extent of Russian intelligence in Norway. Photo: Tom Balgaard / news – There are also people who pretend to be Russian diplomats, who are stationed at embassies and consulates with the status of diplomats, but who in reality do not work for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but work for Russian intelligence services. She describes how the Russian intelligence officers work on behalf of Putin and his regime. This is the Russian embassy in Oslo. A great many of the Russian intelligence officers also live here. Photo: Vegard Tjørhom More than 15 Russian agents in Norway – They are looking for information, knowledge, technology and influence that can give Russia an advantage, says Haugland. She says that one way the agents proceed is by recruiting human sources. – In other words, people who see, know, hear and know things that are relevant for Russian intelligence services to know. – According to what we understand, there are around 20 intelligence officers in Norway. Is that a correct number? – We cannot confirm an exact number, but it is in that order of magnitude. The agents news is now going out with may be among the 15 Russian diplomats who were declared unwanted in Norway today. With today’s news, it means that of the around 20 Russian agents, there are only about five left in Norway. Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt (Ap) said on Thursday that the 15 who have now been declared undesirable pose a threat to Norwegian interests. The Russians have been in Norway as diplomats, but the Norwegian authorities believe that they have actually been engaged in intelligence. – Russia is the biggest intelligence threat in Norway. We take that seriously, and we are now taking action to counter Russian intelligence activities in this country, says Huitfeldt. – Long-term perspective PST tells news that after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year, Russia is taking greater chances when it comes to intelligence activities in Norway. – We see, among other things, that they go after young people, both in business and politics. People who may not have information and influence today, but who will be able to get it in the long run, says Inger Haugland. She says that this shows that these intelligence officers work with a long-term perspective. PST says that Russia is taking greater chances when it comes to intelligence activities in Norway after the invasion of Ukraine. Photo: Helge Carlsen / Helge Carlsen/news Haugland further points out that they are often also involved in a wide range of other activities: – They gather information about and map critical infrastructure in Norway. They seek to buy and acquire Norwegian technology and Norwegian goods. They may be involved in cyber operations, strategic acquisition of strategically located property and other types of investment. – They try to interfere in and influence decisions made at various levels and places in Norway. The Russian embassy: – Extremely unfriendly The Russian embassy confirms to news that 15 embassy employees have been declared undesirable in Norway. – The reaction is strongly negative. This is another extremely unfriendly step, which will be followed up with countermeasures, says the embassy’s press spokesman Timur Chekanov to news. news has contacted the four agents who are now named, they have not yet responded to our inquiries. news has also contacted the Russian embassy to get a comment related to the four agents news names. Press spokesman Timur Chekanov, however, denies that they have done anything wrong, and points out that they have carried out normal diplomatic work. There have been several expulsions after the Ukraine war. Also in April last year, three Russians had to leave the country because Norway thought they were intelligence officers. Russia then responded by expelling three Norwegian diplomats. What Russia will do this time is not yet clear. – Russia has no reason to react against Norway, says Huitfeldt. She emphasizes that no Norwegian diplomats in Russia deal with intelligence. According to what news knows, there are now 19 Norwegian diplomats in Russia. If Russia also this time expels as many as Norway has expelled, there will therefore be few diplomats left in Russia. There are currently 19 Norwegian diplomats working in Russia. Here at the Norwegian embassy in Moscow. Photo: Jurij Linkevitsj, news Embassy staff monitored The Norwegian authorities have monitored the activities of the 15 embassy staff over a long period of time. The worsening security policy situation and the increased threat from Russian intelligence activity against Norway is the reason why they are now unwanted in the country. Specifically, what the unwanted Russians are said to have done from today, the foreign minister cannot answer, and refers to PST. But the Police’s security service is currently referring back to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All of the 15 unwanted Russians must leave the country shortly. Exactly how long they have is currently unknown. With today’s news about the unwanted diplomats, Norway is now in line with other European countries, which in recent years have declared several hundred Russian agents unwanted. Espionage in Sweden In Sweden, SVT’s Uppdrag granskning has identified a number of possible agents at the Russian embassy in Stockholm, writes SVT. Recently, the Swedish security police received a list of these names. – I will look at this list at my leisure. Then I get to draw my own conclusions based on what you have come up with, says Daniel Stenling, head of counterintelligence at the Swedish security police, Säpo, to SVT. According to the channel, the Swedish Foreign Ministry writes that Russian agents pose a security risk which they take very seriously. Therefore, we identify Intelligence agents under the protection of diplomacy is a matter of great societal importance. It contributes to eroding the role of diplomacy in a world situation that is becoming increasingly tense, and that makes Norway more vulnerable. The persons news chooses to identify here are employed at the Russian embassy today, and are connected to the Russian military intelligence service GRU, and according to our sources, conduct unwanted or illegal intelligence activities in Norway. Hello! Do you have any input or know more about this matter? Feel free to contact us by e-mail if you have input. You can also send us input, tips and information encrypted and secure via news’s extra secure notification reception – see how you can use news’s Secure Drop here. Håvard Gulldahl, Tormod Strand, Inghild Eriksen and Gyda Hesla Journalists at NRKSend me an e-mail
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These are four active Russian agents in Norway – news Troms and Finnmark
