Main image: Migrants receive instructions from a Norwegian police officer at Storskog boarder crossing station, after crossing the boarder with Russia | Cornelius Poppe/AFP/Getty
Norway plans to construct a fence along its border with Russia to enhance security and prevent migration crises according to Yle.
This measure is aimed at protection in the event of a mass arrival of refugees from Russia, similar to what happened in 2015 when around 5,000 people crossed the border on foot and by bicycle at the Storskog crossing point.
Norwegian Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl stated that the fence could be one way to strengthen border security, especially considering Finland's experience, which has already begun construction of a 200-kilometer barrier. However, according to Mehl, before making a final decision, the government is assessing costs and other possible measures, such as using drones and increasing the number of border personnel.
Ellen Katrin Hetta, the chief of police in Finnmark, supported the idea of building the fence, noting that it would help prevent illegal border crossings.
The eastern border of Norway with Russia stretches approximately 200 kilometers, starting from the Arctic Ocean and running along the Paatsjoki River. The border is monitored by Norwegian authorities using modern technologies; however, it remains accessible to travelers, unlike the Finnish border, where a special permit is required to cross the restricted zone.
