Dagbladet knows the identity of the 51-year-old Russian who was arrested in Tromsø last Friday.
He has been charged with violating the Criminal Code Section 19, which was introduced in connection with the war in Ukraine. It says Russian companies and citizens are not allowed to fly — in this case drones — in Norway.
He flew it at Kirkenes airport. The Russian also photographed a Bell helicopter of the Norwegian Armed Forces.
According to information from Dagbladet, the accused is a long-time aviation photographer and specializes in pictures of military planes and helicopters.
He has previously contributed images to Reuters, one of the world’s largest news agencies. They are also used in the critical programs of Norwegian media VG and TV 2, Dagbladet.
Mehl: Introduction to the new arrest
Post drone footage the day before the arrest
The man explained that he crossed the Norwegian-Russian border in Storskog on Thursday, October 13. He then went to Kirkenes, where he took several drone photos of the harbor area, five kilometers away, as the crow flies from the airport.
Dagbladet has seen the pictures he posted on the social media site.
It is not known if he filmed the airport, during or after the flight, and was filmed by the police.
From Kirkenes, he traveled to Tromsø, where he was arrested at Tromsø airport.
– He says he took the drone footage and photos for personal purposes, police prosecutor Jacob Berg tells Talkblade.
Police are now examining his memory cards to see what photos he took.
– was on a business trip
According to the description of the accused, he was in Norway and was visiting Svalbard on a business trip.
The 51-year-old has been to Svalbard several times before, as Dogbladet’s review shows. There, among other things, he took photos of Svalbard Airport and published images of approaches seen by TalkBlade.
Some of these images are available on well-known information websites on the Internet.
– Is the work trip related to photography?
– No, he didn’t say that, says police prosecutor Berg.
Dogbladet doesn’t know exactly what the man has to do with Svalbard.
Neither the police nor the man’s lawyer wanted to comment on Dagbladet’s information about the identity of the man in question.
Filmed multiple times: The accused Russian has previously taken pictures of Svalbard Airport and posted videos of his own approaches, Dagbladet’s review shows. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB
See more
They petitioned to be released
The man applied for release on Saturday but was detained for two weeks; Police initially questioned the four, but Nord-Drams and the Senja district court believed the seizure was not warranted.
They pointed out that the only information so far was that the accused had flown the drone over Kirkenes. The photos he took of the Bell helicopter flying around Kirkens Airport were not illegal, the district court wrote in the ruling.
Russians are not generally banned from filming in Norway, but the arrest comes at a time when intelligence threats and sabotage fears from Russia are higher than they have been in a long time.
The Police Protection Service (PST) is involved in the case.
– What do you think about PST being linked, is it exaggerated considering he has a background as an aerial photographer?
– In today’s situation, it is natural that the PST is involved in the case, so that they can also create a picture about it, the lawyer Ola Larsson, the defender of the accused, tells Dagbladet.
– But two years ago the police and PST might not have behaved this way, he continues.
Larsen confirmed to Dagbladet on Sunday that they would appeal the detention.
Demand Drone Ban: – Expect it to come
Many were arrested
Several Russian nationals have been detained in Norway in recent days. The first person was arrested on October 11On the way over the Norwegian-Russian border at Storskog in Finnmark.
There, police found two drones and a large amount of video material in his luggage.
Like the accused 51-year-old, he admits to flying the drone but says it was for personal purposes.
On Monday this week, it was revealed that the other four were RussiansThree men and a woman were arrested and remanded in custody in Nordland.
Police say they allegedly took photos of an object where photography was prohibited and claimed they were looking at tourists.
On Wednesday, the Finnmark Police District confirmed that another Russian man who flew a drone in Svalbard had been arrested and detained.
He also holds British citizenship Son of a close friend of Russian President Vladimir PutinBut he also maintains his innocence.
No link has been proved between those arrested.
This week, the Russian Embassy in Oslo went hard against what they call the unjustified and discriminatory imprisonment of Russians in Norway.
For her part, Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl (SP) says that in the current situation, it is better for the police to be vigilant and take the necessary measures.
“Music geek. Coffee lover. Devoted food scholar. Web buff. Passionate internet guru.”
