Russiske "soldater" i Kirkenes - The Barents Observer

 

These two seamen walked the streets of Kirkenes wearing camo-colored military-looking uniforms with Russian flags on the chest. Photo: Finmark Police District

Russian seamen walk streets of Kirkenes in military-looking uniforms

You could easily believe you met Russian soldiers wearing winter uniforms with the tricolor flag on the chest. The two were stopped by the police and requested to find more suitable clothing when onshore in Norway.

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Kirkenes, the border town on the coast of the Barents Sea, is one of only three locations in Northern Europe where Russian fishing vessels still can make port calls. The two others are Båtsfjord and Tromsø, also in Norway’s northernmost county.

Mid-January is Polar Night at 69° North and details on outdoor clothing could be difficult to recognize. However, the two men that were stopped by the local police on Thursday made people roll their eyes.

The outfit looked like Russian military winter uniforms. The Russian flag attached to the chest could easily be confused with such name-tags officers are wearing on official uniforms.

“This is not ok,” says Police Superintendent Bjørn Tormod Syversen to the Barents Observer.

“The police talked with the men and the captain and asked them not to wear such clothes when in Norway.,” Syversen says.

The police made onboard inspection, but are unwilling to share the name of the ship with the media.

There are currently 17 Russian fishing vessels at port in Kirkenes.