Newsletter: Increased preparedness and a colder society

The gas leaks from Nord Stream 1 and 2 in the Baltic Sea have dominated the news this week. Experts do not reject that what is assumed to be sabotage could shed new light on two recent incidents in the Arctic where two communication cables were cut.

 The preparedness in the North is undoubtedly strengthened, especially after the traffic from Russia increased as a result of Putin’s escalation of the war.

The traffic across the Norwegian-Russian border at Storskog is steadily increasing, but it is far from the amount before the pandemic, says Chief of Police Ellen Katrine Hætta in Finnmark, Northern Norway. 

Going forward, it will be even more difficult for Russians to apply for a visa to Norway, while more will want to flee. 

The external perspective on Norway reveals an idealized image starting to show its flaws – more specifically in Washington DC – where the damages to Norway’s moral compass are noticed;

“We are closing the borders to Russian conscientious objectors. We are refusing to share the war profits with anyone but ourselves. And on Svalbard, we have deprived foreigners of their right to vote," says Holm. 

Military exercises in the North are still many and close together. Most recently in Northern Sweden, by the Swedish Armed Forces, together with US special forces.

“The outcome of the exercise proves that we are able to fight long-distance targets with high precision”, says deputy Chief of the Swedish Army.

Investments 

The EU is establishing an office in Greenland to get a better understanding of Greenland and to show its presence in the Arctic. 

Considerable investments are to be made in upgrades on Svalbard, both on the Norwegian and the Russian side. 

The infrastructure in the Russian settlements Barentsburg and Pyramiden is to be modernized. The investment framework is estimated at around NOK 300 million. 

At the same time, Store Norske is planning to invest over NOK 200 million in the property they own in Longyearbyen. 

On Monday, Norway's Minister of Finance launched a working group that will investigate the structure and investment universe for a new state asset management unit in Tromsø, Northern Norway. 

Climate 

A proposed observatory in Canada’s Arctic could provide a long-range look at climate change. 

High winds pummeled northeast Iceland over the weekend, especially on Sunday, with extensive damage done to buildings and cars. No serious injuries have been reported. 

That was the week as seen from the North. Feel free to share the newsletter with others and let us know what is on your mind. We welcome news tips, opinion articles, and feedback with pleasure. You can reach us here: hinn@nord.no 

With wishes of a good weekend on behalf of the editorial staff, 

News Editor, Trine Jonassen 

This newsletter has been translated by HNN's Birgitte Annie Molid Martinussen