PST is investigating several possible violations of Russian sanctions – E24

The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) is investigating 12 cases of violations of the Penal Code and the Export Control Act. Most of the cases concern Russia.

– It is our responsibility to prosecute violations of the penal code, and we see that there has been an increase in the number of cases after the invasion of Ukraine. There are also cases of goods that cannot be sold to Russian companies, says Nina Bakken, head of the prosecution department at PST.

Senior advisor Martin Pearsen at PST says they are now looking into 12 cases of possible violations of the penal code or export control law.

The PST does not want to go into detail on what the various cases are about, but Bernsen says most of the cases involve Russia.

Sanctions will reduce Russia’s ability to finance the war.

in press release From February, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that trade between Norway and Russia is declining sharply.

“In the fourth quarter of 2022, trade decreased by 65 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2021. In January 2023, trade decreased by 80 percent compared to January 2022,” the press release reads.

Increase exports

Last September, E24 wrote that Norwegian exports to Russia increased after the invasion. This is illustrated by compiling the figures for Statistics Norway in a report from the analysis firm Corisk.

According to the report, Norway was the Scandinavian country that maintained the most trade with Russia.

Four cases of drones

In addition to the 12 cases under investigation, there are four cases involving the use of drones.

Sanctions regulations prohibit Russians from operating aircraft and drones in Norway.

The cases of the four drones have previously been discussed in the media.

In October last year, the son of the oligarch Andrei Yakunin (47 years old) was arrested in Hammerfest and charged with illegally flying a drone over Svalbard.

Yakunin was acquitted in December. By that time, two Russian citizens had already been sentenced to 90 days and 120 days in prison, respectively, for illegally flying a drone.

The case has been taken to the Supreme Court, but the decision is not clear.