Norway will reinforce its 198-kilometer border with Russia, the country’s police authority announced. Several sections of the frontier will be equipped with new fences — including near Skafferhullet, a former crossing point in the Sør-Varanger municipality in the north, and at Storskog, the official checkpoint for travel between Norway and Russia.
In addition to fencing, Norwegian authorities plan to install advanced sensors and surveillance cameras to improve border monitoring. The use of drones will also be considered for specific sections, said Finnmark Police Chief Ellen Kathrine Hætta, noting that “this is an important step toward modernizing the border with Russia.” The new fence at Skafferhullet will cost around €400,000, while the total modernization program is supported by €16.4 million in funding from the European Commission, granted at the end of 2024.
“The security situation in Europe means Norway is implementing several measures to strengthen border control. Police and the military will deepen their already well-established cooperation through closer coordination and further development of their joint border mission,” said Lieutenant Colonel Rune Rippón from the Norwegian Defense Staff.
According to The Barents Observer, Norway — which is not a member of the EU but belongs to the European Economic Area and participates in the Schengen Agreement — has been upgrading and heightening the border fence at Storskog since the spring of this year amid growing concerns over the Russian threat.
