Kirkenes
Finland’s former President Paavo Lipponen presents plans for a telecommunication highway between Europe and Asia via Kirkenes and the Northern Sea Route.
Norwegian Government gives priority to extension of the runway at Kirkenes airport.
Two groups of people aimed for Scandinavia, but were stopped by the FSB.
After two years of decline, traffic across the Norwegian-Russian border is again on the increase.
Almost half the population of Kirkenes can cross the border to Russia without a visa.
Company owner Felix Tschudi sends a positive signal to an Arctic town hungry for iron ore.
Arctic shipping
This week, the dredger «Zheng He» — next week, the heavy lift ship "Happy Sky". The Norwegian port of Kirkenes has become a hub for marine traffic towards Russia’s Yamal Peninsula.
Inhabitants in the border town of Kirkenes on average visited neighboring Russia two times in 2015.
As political chill and Russian militarization strains east-west relations, the Mayor of Kirkenes, the Norwegian border town, goes to Russian Navy headquarters of Severomorsk to sign a friendship agreement.
But the sum is too low considering the important geopolitical position of Kirkenes, town mayor Rune Rafaelsen says.
Siste/ mest lest
Packed with radar- and communication humps on the roof, the 125-meter long new “Marjata” came to Kirkenes Monday morning.
Six months after the closure of the Sydvaranger mine outside Kirkenes, Norway, Felix Tschudi buys the bankruptcy assets. But new mining could be a long shot. VIDEO STORY.
«We have great faith in the Barents Sea», companies ASCO and Norterminal say as they announce plans for new oil base on the Barents Sea coast.
Crisis in Kirkenes:
Four hundred people lose their jobs as the Sydvaranger mine in Kirkenes files for bankruptcy.
Leading local companies join forces ahead of an anticipated hike in regional oil, gas and shipping.
«We agree that the massive nickel pollution across the border must stop», local Mayor Rune Rafaelsen says after his meeting with Murmansk Governor Marina Kovtun.
Official document indicates that Moscow is preparing the reintroduction of traveling restrictions in the borderlands to Norway and Finland.
Inside this motorcade crossing the border at Storskog Thursday morning is Army General Vladimir Kulishov, one of President Vladimir Putin’s top security officials.
Tight security: Storskog border checkpoint was closed for other travelers the few minutes it took for the FSB delegation to cross the border. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Delegation members enter the cars at Storskog. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
General Vladimir Kulishov and Police Commissioner Odd Reidar Humlegård at Storskog. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Motorcade with the Russian FSB delegation drove out from Storskog border checkpoint a few minutes before 9 am Thursday morning. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
First Deputy Head of FSB and Head of FSB Borger Guard Service, General Vladimir Kulishov and Norway’s National Police Commissioner Odd Reidar Humlegård coulld be seen in the back seat of this civilian police cars as the motorcade drove out from Storskog checkpoint. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Tight security around Storskog border checkpoint and Sollia Guest House Thursday morning. Photo: Thomas Nilsen
Photo: Atle Staalesen
Motorcade with five cars exiting Storskog customs area. Photo: Atle Staalesen
First Deputy Head of FSB and Head of FSB Borger Guard Service, General Vladimir Kulishov and Norway’s National Police Commissioner Odd Reidar Humlegård on their way out of the Storskog border crossing point. Photo: Atle Staalesen
A delegation of Norwegian and Russian top security officials on their way out of Storskog border crossing point. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Tight security at Sollia Guest Hourse, the meeting venue. Photo: Atle Staalesen
Arctic oil
We know nothing about the company’s planned moving of transshipment activities from Kirkenes to Murmansk, Jacob Stolt-Nielsen says.
We disagree about Ukraine, but agree about the need for good cross-border neighborly relations, Foreign Minister Børge Brende says as he visits Kirkenes, the Norwegian border town.
Migrant crisis
Merete Eriksson and Eirik Nilsen were arrested by police for helping asylum seekers leave the camp before a planned deportation to Russia.
