PST worried about Russian espionage during Cold Response

PST fears Russian espionage during Cold ResponseFinnmark.The Norwegian defense. Photo: Mats Tveraaen/Forsvrets mediesenter / NTB scanpix

The PST boss in Sor-Trondelag fears that the ongoing military exercise Cold Response 2016 may be a target for foreign intelligence services, especially from Russia.

Our task is to prevent it from happening,  Terje Lunde says to Adresseavisen.
The chief of the Police Security Service (PST) in Sor-Trondelag refers to the Secret Service threat assessment for 2016, which states that intelligence activities in and against Norway is high.
– Foreign intelligence services are not only carried out  by countries such as China and Russia, but Russia’s intention and capacity to exercise espionage against Norway is considered to have the greatest potential to cause problems for Norway and Norwegian interests, says Lunde.
He notes that the Russian intelligence services’ missions are managed by long-term Russian security interests.
To get information on the defense, security and emergency preparedness issues in Norway will be among the main objectives for these services.
– Therefore PST is taking into account that a large exercise Cold Response will be part of this picture, given its participation from a number of NATO countries, withdrawal of prepositioned military equipment and military efforts on land, in air and sea with about 15,000 participants, Lunde points out on the big military exercise now under way in Trondelag.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today