Swedes fined for throwing stones into Russia
Three Swedish citizens were fined by police on Thursday evening after throwing stones across the Norwegian-Russian border, an act that is strictly prohibited under bilateral border agreements.
According to police, each of the three was issued a fine of NOK 8,000 (€730). The incident took place in Grense Jakobselv, along the northernmost section of the 198-kilometre land border between Norway and Russia.
Norway has a dedicated border law dating from 1950 that regulates conduct in areas close to the frontier. Section 3 of the law states that no “offensive behaviour along the border directed at the neighbouring state or its authorities” is permitted. Violations can result in fines or imprisonment for up to three months.
Located about an hour’s drive from Kirkenes, Grense Jakobselv is a popular destination for both locals and tourists. In several places, the narrow road runs only a few metres from the border itself, which follows a small creek separating the two countries.
Signs posted along the road clearly inform visitors of the rules governing behaviour in the border area.
Despite the remote wilderness location, Norwegian border guards have effective surveillance of the area, and those who violate the strict regulations face a high risk of being caught.
On the Russian side, a several-kilometre-wide security zone is closed to civilians and monitored by FSB border guards.
This is not the first time individuals have been penalised for throwing stones into Russia. A similar incident occurred in 2016, when four Norwegians were detained and fined for the same offence. At the time, the case attracted considerable attention in Russian national media, like TASS and Rossiskaya Gazeta.
