Russian Agents Using Fishing Vessels and ‘Tourists’ for Espionage in Norway

Russia has increased the number of spies along its border with Norway and is also attempting to infiltrate fishing vessels that enter Norwegian ports.

The SVT reported on this.

Due to the growing number of Russian spy cases and the overall decline in security across Scandinavia, Norway plans to double its military presence in the northern part of the country by 2032.

According to the commander of the Finnmark Brigade, which is stationed at the border between Norway and Russia, the Russians are attempting to infiltrate spies using fishing vessels.

“Spies were discovered on fishing vessels coming from Russia to Kirkenes, and several times people who posed as tourists had other plans,” the commander of the Finnmark Brigade reported.

According to the Brigade, the units are currently actively cooperating with the local population to identify Russian spies in a timely manner, including through collaboration with Finnish army units and border guards.

It is worth noting that as part of strengthening its defense capabilities, in August 2025, Norway started forming a new Finnmark Brigade, with a staffing of 1,300 soldiers.

In addition, the brigade’s strengthening will include the formation of a new light infantry battalion to complement the two existing battalions – an infantry battalion and a ranger battalion.

Furthermore, the brigade’s structure will be reinforced with an air defense unit, an artillery battalion, and a reconnaissance company. At the same time, the engineering company will also be strengthened due to the increased role of fortifying the border with Russia.

It is worth noting that Norway currently has a 198-kilometer border with Russia, which began to be actively reinforced in November 2025. Specifically, the country’s government announced a large-scale strengthening of the border zone: new fences, modern surveillance systems, and drones for aerial monitoring will be installed.

According to reports from the police in Finnmark, fences will be erected at key locations, including at Skaffarhullet (a former border crossing) and at Storskog – the only official border crossing between the two countries. Cameras and sensors will also be installed along the border to monitor movement.