With a  shared border having been open until the 1940s, the Norwegian-Russian relationship has been shaped by boundary-stone disputes one often sees between neighbors. While a territorial dispute over areas of the Barents Sea was resolved in 2010,[1] longstanding issues over pollution continue,[2] and as a founding member of NATO, Norway is perceived as a maritime threat by the Kremlin.[3] The 2017 deployment of US troops in the area has been a cause for tension as well,[4] with Russia simulating an attack on a Norwegian radar station in 2017.[5] This is mixed with stabilizing factors such as visa-free zones and large a Russian diaspora, as well as a domestic political movement which favors a peaceful relationship and harbors mixed feelings regarding sanctions over Ukraine.[6] Digital threats against political, military, and economic targets are considered a threat by the Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS).[7] Russia infiltration of social networks, news commentary websites, and beyond has been noted[8]; Norway’s Labour Party fell victim to Russian hacking in fall 2017[9]; and instances of blackmailing against individuals have occurred as well.[10] While Russian espionage has been noted as the “No. 1” threat according to the Police Security Service’s annual assessment,[11] there has been little in terms of concrete action. Norway is, for example, not engaged in the Centres of Excellence set up by EU and NATO to tackle Russian disinformation.[12]

[1]  http://www.socialglobalstudies.com/LAW%2012/norwayrussiaagreeonbarentsseaboundary.pdf 
[2]  https://web.archive.org/web/20080803173348/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/369177.htm 
[3] http://www.janes.com/article/74777/kremlin-maritime-threat-assessment-highlights-norway-as-potential-cause-of-naval-conflict 
[4] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-norway-usa-russia-idUSKBN19F0AL 
[5] https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/security/2018/03/oslo-such-behavior-does-not-promote-good-neighborly-relations 
[6] https://www.thelocal.no/20170616/opinion-how-neighbours-russia-and-norway-can-do-better-on-international-relations 
[7] https://www.thelocal.no/20170207/norwegian-military-intelligence-warns-of-increased-threats-from-russia 
[8] ibid
[9] https://www.thelocal.no/20170203/norways-labour-party-was-hacked-by-russia-report 
[10] https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/security/2017/02/norways-pst-says-russian-intelligence-targets-individuals#.WJi96Z9Yfj1.twitter 
[11] ibid
[12]  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/316526667_More_than_%27just%27_disinformation_Russia%27s_information_operations_in_the_Nordic_region