Narrative Non-fiction · Hardback

Russians on Svalbard

Norwegian title: Russerne på Svalbard

Per Arne Totland

The hybrid war over Svalbard is in full swing. For almost a hundred years, there have been Russian settlements on the Norwegian archipelago, but never before has the Russian-Norwegian neighborhood at 78 degrees north been more challenging.

Russia's strategy for Svalbard is currently being controlled from the top in Kremlin, and it is more offensive than ever. The Russian presence in this part of Norway is to be strengthened. For the first time, extremely wealthy Russian oligarchs are being encouraged to invest in Svalbard. And for the first time, countries such as China, India, Brazil and Iran are being invited to be Russia's partners on Norwegian territory.

Norwegian control and authority over Svalbard is being challenged. The more than a hundred-year-old Svalbard Treaty, which gave Norway sovereignty over the archipelago, is being used as a weapon against Norway. Behind this lies the increasingly threatening geopolitical situation between Russia and the West. In the event of a military conflict in the Arctic, Svalbard will be in the middle of the fire.

Russians on Svalbard shed light on Russian Svalbard policy under Vladimir Putin, and how it has become more aggressive after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The book analyses the consequences this has for Norway's most vulnerable territory.