20 percent decline in border traffic YoY
There were 57,986 crossings at Storskog in 2024, down 20% on a year-over-year (YoY) basis from the 72,173 in 2023, statistics from Norwegian police in charge of immigration show.
Excluding the years with pandemic, the Norwegian-Russian border has not seen lower numbers since the early 1990s. In 1992, more than 80,000 crossings were counted.
At its peak in 2013, more than 320,000 border crossings took place on the road connecting Norway and Russia’s Kola Peninsula.
The dramatic fall in traffic is due to the comeback of an iron curtain like border regime; few Russians get visa to Norway and Schengen, cross-border shopping has come to an end, Russian cars are no longer allowed into Norway, and very few Norwegians travel to Russia.
In short, the majority of those still crossing the border are people with dual citizenship and Russians visiting relatives in Norway or in transit to relatives living in other Schengen countries. Also, Russian seamen embarking or disembarking fishing vessels at ports in northern Norway are shuttled in- and out from Murmansk via Storskog checkpoint.
The month-over-month (MoM) figures for December show a decline of 14 percent from December 2023.
Christmas traffic this year was up 47 percent compared with November. A reason for higher traffic in December includes Russians living in Finland who drive north via Norway’s checkpoint, as all road checkpoints along the Finnish-Russian border is closed.
For people with dual-citizenship Finland and Russia, driving via the Estonian-Russian checkpoint is a challenge for those bringing their own car. Crossers have to pre-book a time-slot, otherwise risk days in queue.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Yukon Arctic defence council calls for more attention to infrastructure in new report, CBC News
Denmark: Denmark’s Arctic, North Atlantic focus: Canada among new defence attaché posts, Eye on the Arctic
Finland: Finland’s government parties want to keep eastern border closed, Yle News
Norway: Nordic countries get ready to establish cross-border military corridors, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia:Russia to begin artillery firing near Norway’s Grense Jakobselv, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Updated version of Sweden’s preparedness guide sent out to households, Radio Sweden
United States: White House releases U.S. Arctic strategy implementation plan, Eye on the Arctic
