(This May 11th story was refiled to change the name of the organization in paragraph 15. Text remains unchanged.

Victoria Klesty and Gwladys Fouch

KIRKENES (Norway) – Kirkenes was a Norwegian village just a stones throw away from Russia for more than three decades. It has been a symbol of Arctic cross-border harmony. This was all overthrown by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. People have since been adapting to new realities.

The possibility that Finland might join NATO is one. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto will likely say Thursday that it should apply for the military alliance.

These companies are trying to decrease their dependence on Russia, even though Norway made exceptions from international sanctions.

Kirkenes residents are able to cross into Russia without a visa. Russians may also enter the region and live there. There are 400 Russians among the 3,500 inhabitants of this town. There are 30 Ukrainians.

Lene Norii Bergeng stated that after the Russian invasion Ukraine, Feb. 24, many have experienced grief, anger, and frustration.

Mayor of Soer-Varanger, which also includes Kirkenes.

It has been an incredible time. After many years of peace, our neighbour now wants to go to war against one of its neighbors. “It has affected us all,” she stated from her office located on the square of the Russian consulate.

The Russian border can be reached from Kirkenes in 15 minutes, while Finland is only 50 minutes. They are both closer to the Norwegian neighbor.

Norum Bergeng said that Finland must decide if they would like to be a NATO member. We should be open to their wishes if they do. “I am glad Norway is a NATO member.”

LIVING TOGETHER

For Russians to be welcomed, signs on streets in Russian and Norwegian were put up many decades ago. The mayor stated that a petition has been started to remove them, but there is not yet enough support for it to be discussed by the city council.

Reuters talked to Russians in Russia who stated that they feel as welcomed as ever after the invasion.

Gleb Karinov, 43 years old, stated that “I’ve had no problems” during his break at work in the Kimek shipyard.

A Ukrainian refugee from Ukraine who came to Kirkenes last April also said that the Russians were “very kind”.

“They don’t seem aggressive. Katerina, 27, who is a teacher fled Luhansk’s eastern region with Arena, her 2-year-old daughter, and now lives in the United States with her aunt.

Others are discovering new meanings for their work. Evgeny, a Murmansk theatre director, has been living in Kirkenes from January and is currently working with Russian exile artists to share different perspectives of Russia.

The 42-year old said, “With the beginning of the war we really understood why art is important…why it can be a powerful tool,” at the Pikene Paa Broen art gallery, which houses regional curators and artists.

ECONOMIC HIT

The CEO of the Kimek Shipyard worries that his 80 employees will be lost to Russian employers. Last year, 70% of the company’s revenues came from Russian ships.

Although Norway, which is not part of the EU, has applied many international sanctions but hasn’t closed its ports to Russian fishing boats, which has been a vital lifeline for ports in Arctic Norway such as Kirkenes.

Mannsverk said that Norway would have sanctioned half of the staff at the shipyard if Mannsverk had not applied this particular penalty. Kimek’s Murmansk facility continues to function independently of the Kirkenes main facility.

“I plan for the future, when Russian clients won’t be major.” He said that the current percentage is 70% and suggested it could be increased to 20% in the underground yard, where a Russian trawler was being prepared.

Cross-border cooperation will resume in full once again. Jonas Gahr Stoere, the Norwegian Prime Minister is optimistic it will.

During a recent visit to the village, he stated that “there will be a time after,” but he didn’t know exactly when. “The spirit of people who live in this municipality suggests that while borders must be respected and there must be contact, it should not be a barrier to their lives. “We have to learn from it.”