Three times more Russian diplomats in Norway than the other way around
Keeping diplomatic channels open in times of turmoil is important but far from easy. Moscow was this week forced to reduce the number of personell in Norway, but Oslo keeps the door open for reversing the decision.
Three of the about 10 persons attached to the Russian Consulate General in Kirkenes are diplomats. The others are guards, drivers, caretakers and spouses helping with consular work. Until this week, when Russia said it closes all consular work at Moscow’s two missions inside the Arctic Circle in Norway; Kirkenes and at Barentsburg on Svalbard.
The diplomats, however, are still in the yellow building next to the city hall in Kirkenes.
In her more than three hours spectacle briefing on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry’s spokeswoman Maria Zakharova devoted some minutes of her undiplomatic-language to Norway. She blamed Norway for her own ministry’s closing of consular services up north.
Turning facts upside down, Zakharova's diatribe concluded in a promise of retaliation over cuts in diplomatic staff.
"We will take this latest unfriendly step into account when shaping our further policy towards Norway," she said.
Facts are that Russia has almost three times as many diplomats in Norway as Norway has in Russia.
The Oslo Diplomat List names all 20 diplomats at the Embassy, three at the Consulate General in Kirkenes and two at the Consulate General in Barentsburg. In total 25. Spouses, 14 in total, come in addition, listed with diplomatic immunity.
Norway has 13 with diplomatic status with the Embassy in Moscow and two with the Consulate General in St. Petersburg. The numbers, though, are not directly comparable with what Russia has in Norway as six of the people in Moscow are guards and technical staff, but are holders of diplomatic passports. Guards and technical staff from Russia in Norway are not listed as diplomats.
Counting those who do a diplomatic job brings the numbers to nine vs. 25.
The Consulate General in Murmansk closed in 2022 after the diplomats and the local employees over time were harassed.
The Foreign Ministry in Oslo underlines that the exact number varies from week to week as some are travelling back-and-forth.
Spokeswoman Zakharova made clear that Norway's missions in Russia will not face easier days ahead after Oslo called for more equal access to send diplomats.
"Our response, which will be sensitive, this we promise, will certainly follow and be directed at the Norwegian side," Maria Zakharova said.
In 2022, ten Norwegian diplomats were kicked out of Russia in a tit-for-tat move after Oslo along with most other European nations expelled hundreds of intelligence officers. From the Embassy on Drammensveien 74 in Oslo, 15 persons were ordered to leave. According to the Norwegians, the persons were engaging "in activities that are not compatible with their diplomatic status."
Spokesperson Ragnhild Simenstad with the Foreign Ministry says Norway still wants open diplomatic channels for dialogue with Russia.
"For this to work, we need adequate staffing at our embassies," Simenstad says.
If Norway's demand to reduce the number of Russians at the Embassy in Oslo came in a hope to get more of its own diplomats accredited to Moscow, the result may be the opposite.
"This is precisely what Oslo's decisions are aimed at," Zakharova said. "They effectively paralyse the activities of our foreign missions in a number of areas."
Simenstad in Oslo does not give up the hope for more diplomats. "We are continuing this dialogue, as it is in Norway's interest."
Kirkenes and Barentsburg are along with Mariehamn on Åland the only remaining Russian Consulate Generals in the Nordics. Similarly, Norway’s Consulate General is the only Nordic left in St. Petersburg as Sweden and Finland last year were kicked out.
Although supposedly closed, Russia's Consulate General on Friday announced on Telegram it next week will arrange a solemn ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the Red Army's liberation of east-Finnmark from nazi-German occupation.
The local Russian diplomats have since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 used this monument in Kirkenes to stir emotions among locals.
Earlier this week the Barents Observer could tell the story about one of the men at the consulate having a FSB background.
