Despite Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, in the Barents Sea it maintains cordial relations with Nato neighbours over fishing rights – barely
Tue 17 Oct 2023 00.00 EDT
From the village of Grense Jakobselv, where the Norwegian-Russian border meets the Arctic Ocean, you can see straight into Russia. And, across the river that marks the border line, the Russian soldiers can look right back.
Despite water temperatures here rarely climbing above 10C (50F), in the summer months the Norwegian side is a popular destination for fishing, beluga whale spotting, basking in the midnight sun and, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, peering into Russia. “Everyone wants to go to one of the most eastern military points of Norway and have a look into Russia. It’s like being at Loch Ness,” says Trygg Arne Larsen, a military adviser.
The village no longer has any permanent residents, but its small stone church, King Oscar II’s chapel, built on the hillside in 1869 to mark the border, is still in use. Several camper vans – including one with a Russian registration – are parked facing the…
