Norway boots Russian spies as tension in Europe rises over Ukraine war

Norway ordered more than a dozen Russian diplomats to leave the country, accusing them of spying for the Kremlin while working at their embassy in Oslo. Officials in Norway, a founding member of NATO, said their decision was based on the “changed security situation in Europe” that has led to an increased intelligence threat from Moscow.

The 15 Russian Embassy workers have been engaging in activities that are “not compatible with their diplomatic status,” Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt said Thursday.

“This is an important step in countering and reducing the level of Russian intelligence activity in Norway and thus safeguarding our national interests,” Ms. Huitfeldt said in a statement. 

The Russian intelligence officers must leave Norway soon, officials said. Oslo officially declared they will lose their diplomatic immunity and could face arrest if not recalled.

Norway’s Foreign Ministry also said visas will not be issued to Russian intelligence officers seeking to enter the Scandinavian country.

“Russia currently poses the greatest intelligence threat to Norway. We take this very seriously and are now implementing measures to counter Russian intelligence activities in our country,” Ms. Huitfeldt said. “We will not allow Russian intelligence officers to operate under diplomatic cover in Norway.”

The increase in Russian intelligence activity comes amid Moscow’s war in Ukraine, now in its second year, and NATO’s decision to increase its military presence in Eastern Europe. 

Norway is not the only country taking steps to curtail covert Russian intelligence activity. Other European countries have reduced the number of such officers operating under diplomatic cover.

Oslo says it hasn’t broken off diplomatic relations with Moscow and that Russian diplomats are welcome in Norway.

“The action we have taken today is targeted toward reducing undesirable intelligence activities,” Ms. Huitfeldt said. “We want Russia to continue to have a functioning diplomatic mission in Norway, but we will not accept that diplomatic missions are misused for the purposes of carrying out covert intelligence activities.”