Increase in Russia-Norway border crossings
Traffic was up 22,7% in July compared with June, despite Norway’s decision this spring to deny entry for Russian citizens traveling on leisure and non-essential tours.
“The numbers for July shows that there were 6,255 crossings at Storskog,” informs the police in charge of immigration at Storskog to the Barents Observer.
This is an increase by 22,7% compared with June, when 5,097 people crossed the Norwegian-Russian border.
In total so far in 2024, cross-border traffic is down 21,6% compared with the first seven months last year.
Norway was the last Schengen-country to ban entry for Russians on shopping or tourism. The ban was introduced from May 29. Until October 2023, Russians were still allowed to drive into Norway with private cars.
Poland, the Baltic States and Finland all decided to close their borders for non-essential travel soon after Russia launched its all-out war against Ukraine. As a consequence of FSB Border Guard’s push of migrants across the Russian-Finnish border, Helsinki decided to close all eight checkpoints with its eastern neighbour for all traffic.
Norway keeps Storskog open for relatives (parents, spouses, cohabitants and children) of Russian citizens living in Schengen-Europe. Russians who will work or study in Norway or other Schengen countries are also welcome to enter at Storskog checkpoint.
Diplomats and Russians living and working at Svalbard will still be allowed to travel via mainland Norway. There are daily mini-buses from Murmansk to the Norwegian border town of Kirkenes and its airport.
Related stories from around the North:
Finland: Bicycles abandoned by asylum seekers in the Arctic sold by Finnish customs, The Independent Barents Observer
Norway: Norwegian border town finally scraps cooperation agreement with Russian neighbor, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: €1,000 fine for a few seconds “visit” to Russia, The Independent Barents Observer
