Norway considers border fence amid fears of Kremlin-controlled migration
According to Norwegian media, Norway does not rule out building a fence on its border with Russia. However, there are fears that the Kremlin may be controlling migration.
According to Norwegian NRK, the fence aims to stop the potential influx of refugees from Russia to Norway. Such a situation already occurred in 2015, when about 5,000 people seeking asylum arrived in Norway from Russia. They crossed the border on foot or by bicycle.
NRK also points to migrants from third countries who tried to get to Finland through Russia last year. The authorities in Helsinki believed that the Kremlin might be controlling this migration, so they built a fence on the border.
Finland's example is said to have inspired the Norwegian Minister of Justice Emilie Enger Mehl to take similar steps. The head of the ministry stated that one way to improve security might be to build a fence on the border.
The authorities are also considering other measures
It is unclear whether the fence will be erected along the entire border or only along some sections. The land border between Norway and Russia is 125 miles long.
Building barriers is a costly process, and the justification for such an investment must also be assessed, said Mehl. The ministry does not rule out purchasing drones to patrol the border or increasing the number of border guards.
A similar fence was built on the border of Poland and Belarus. It aims to stop the hybrid actions of Aleksandr Lukashenko's regime, which, in agreement with the Kremlin, brings in migrants from the Middle East and Africa and then sends them to the Polish border.
