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By Micah McCartney
Reporter
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Two Chinese nationals have been arrested in connection with flying a drone near Bardufoss Airport, a dual-use facility that also serves as one of Norway’s most important military hubs.
Police in Mid-Troms in northern Norway said the pair were detained Tuesday after being found operating an unmanned aerial vehicle close to the airport, which shares runways and infrastructure with Bardufoss Air Station.
Why It Matters
The base is home to Royal Norwegian Air Force units and regularly hosts U.S. Marines and other NATO forces during Arctic exercises.
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Because of Bardufoss’s civilian-military role, any unauthorized drone activity there immediately raises security concerns. The arrests also come amid heightened U.S. and European worries about Chinese espionage and a wave of suspected Russian drone incursions across the continent since the start of Moscow’s war on Ukraine nearly 44 months ago.
Newsweek reached out to the Chinese embassy in Oslo by email with a request for comment.
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What to Know
Police Superintendent Katrine Grimnes said the suspects were questioned and released, but their electronic devices were seized for review.
“We still have their passports in our possession,” she told Norway’s public broadcaster NRK.
Drone activity around Bardufoss on Sunday was enough of a concern to divert a passenger flight to another airport, NRK reported.
The incident adds to mounting European unease over aerial incursions. Poland said last month it shot down Russian drones that crossed its border, prompting Warsaw to invoke Article 4 of NATO’s founding charter to trigger security consultations with other alliance members. Moscow has denied Russian drones were behind the incursions.
Denmark has also reported drone violations of its airspace, as has Estonia, which like Poland triggered Article 4 discussions.
What People Are Saying
Katrine Grimnes told NRK: "In light of the considerable attention on this type of case, we are being especially vigilant and take this matter very seriously."
The Chinese embassy in Norway, without referring directly to the arrests, issued a safety advisory Wednesday for Chinese tourists traveling during the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival holiday: “Norway has strict control over drones, so please do not use drones in no-fly zones such as government agencies, military bases, and airports.”
What’s Next
Recent drone incursions have led some governments to accuse Russia of probing the defenses of NATO's eastern flank and to push for stronger joint responses.
Drone incursions featured in discussions at a security meeting of European leaders in Copenhagen on Wednesday. Some member states have voiced support for creating a “drone wall” to track and destroy Russian UAVs, the BBC reported.
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