Military investments at border to Russia
The Norwegian Defense will upgrade the infrastructure at the military camp and patrol stations along the border to Russia for some 100 million USD.
First of all it’s the building structures at the main camp for the border guard soldiers near Kirkenes airport which will be renewed, writes the local daily Finnmarken. The estimated cost is 600-700 million NOK (some 100 million USD or 70 million EUR
New border stations
Together with two brand new border stations the construction work at the camp will be completed by 2016. The two new border stations will replace the existing six border stations along the 196 kilometers border to Russia.
The Russian border guard service has also cut the numbers of border stations the last few years in order to me more efficient.
Peaceful border
The main aim these border stations today are to protect against illegal immigrants as well as other illegal activities across the border. The Norwegian – Russian border is nearby without problems and considered to be among the most relaxed border Russia has with another nation.
Former Russian minister of Defense, Sergey Ivanov, visited Oslo in November 2006 and made headlines in Norwegian media when he at a press-conference stated that Russia is ready to remove its border guards away from the border to Norway. Ivanov’s statement has later been said to be to entusiastic.
The Norwegian border guards are mainly conscripts while the Russian border guards in the north are contracted soldiers. However, as BarentsObserver.com reported in November last year, voluntary border patrols of local civilians gives invaluable help to the regular border forces along the Russian-Norwegian border.
