– I threw the phone away into the forest, then I started running across the ice in the direction of the lights from some houses on the other side, Wagner mercenary Andrej Medvedev told about his escape to Norway.
On 13 January at 1:58 a.m. he was arrested by a Norwegian border patrol in Pasvik.
Notified by Russian side
A woman who had gotten the man on the door had notified the Norwegian authorities.
At the same time, Russian border authorities had also reported the illegal border crossing.
– It is not unusual that you receive messages via the Russian border commissioner, says chief of staff Tarjei Sirma-Tellefsen in FInnmark police district to TV 2.
The arrest was undramatic, he adds.
CLEARLY MARKED: On the Norwegian side, the border area is clearly marked. Photo: Odd Arne Hartvigsen/TV 2
Before Medvedev got over to the Norwegian side of the border, he had to force barbed wire fences and several obstacles in a very well guarded area.
The former border inspector Frode Berg believes it is almost impossible to get over the border where the Wagner defector claims he has crossed.
On the Norwegian and Russian sides, on the other hand, the frozen body of water where the actual border crossing took place is an open area, with a good view.
Wants a police helicopter
The incident with the Russian mercenary who crossed the Pasvikelva means that the police in Finnmark want a renewed presence of a police helicopter at the border.
– What we would like to have is a helicopter that we can use to monitor the border line. We consider helicopters to be a very important capacity here, says police chief Ellen Kathrine Hætta in Finnmark to TV 2.
CHIEF: Ellen Kathrine Hætta is chief of police in Finnmark. Photo: Odd Arne Hartvigsen/TV 2
Last autumn, a police helicopter was sent from Oslo to temporarily strengthen border surveillance. The helicopter should contribute to the detection of the border crossers, said chief of staff Tellefsen of the Finnmark police.
– We basically have good preparedness, but when the situation changes and we have the only Schengen outer border and NATO outer border, it can affect the preparedness situation and need, says Hætta.
She believes that border surveillance must be strengthened because of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.
– We have been in this situation since February last year. The situation that Europe is experiencing today affects us. This means that we are obliged to take the measures that we believe are necessary, says Ellen Kathrine Hætta.
Unlike Russia and Finland, Norway does not have a border zone that is restricted to the local population, she explains.
Important resource
– We actually have free access to the border line. This causes people to move out into the terrain and all the way to the border line, says the police chief.
On the Norwegian side, there are 198 kilometers that are very bumpy, which creates challenges for those tasked with looking after them. A police helicopter will be an important resource, she says.
– You can detect people in the terrain much faster than you can with a patrol. Even though the patrols from the border guard and the police are very well equipped, you will still get a better look at the situation with a helicopter, says the police chief in Finnmark.
The police in Finnmark have very good experiences with the police helicopter that was in Eastern Finnmark this autumn.
– We were able to use the helicopter to clarify several situations, and we also had the opportunity to practice with the helicopter, says Hætta to TV 2.
– Fewer illegal border crossings
Minister of Justice and Emergency Preparedness Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) says she has the clear impression that there is good control at the border.
– There have been few cases of illegal border crossings since the war broke out. We have always been aware that we must follow carefully. That is why, among other things, we have had periods with a police helicopter on the border, says Mehl.
COUNCIL OF STATE: Minister of Justice and Emergency Preparedness Emilie Enger Mehl (Sp) says it is up to the Finnmark police district to request a police helicopter. Photo: Thomas Evensen / TV 2
She points out that it is the police directorate that assesses how the police’s helicopter resources are to be disposed of, an assessment she does not want to go into.
– We have national preparedness resources which include a police helicopter, and these should benefit all police districts. If Finnmark’s police district sees a need for a police helicopter, they can request it for a shorter or longer period of time.
