Norway detains 7 Russian drone pilots, including son of Putin ally

Norway has detained at least seven Russian citizens over the last few days for flying drones and taking unauthorized photos in sensitive locations. In the latest arrest, the drone pilot is reported to be the son of Vladimir Yakunin ― a former KGB general, close associate of Vladimir Putin, and ex-chief of Russian Railways.

Norwegian police disclosed Monday that it had arrested 47-year-old Andrei Yakunin for flying a drone illegally over the geopolitically strategic Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. The suspect, who holds dual Russian and British citizenship, was sent into two-week custody by a court on Tuesday.

The drone and other electronic equipment seized from Yakunin are now being analyzed. Their content is of “great importance for the case,” the police say.

This is the fourth such incident in recent days where police in Norway have arrested Russian citizens on the suspicion of flying drones or taking photos in restricted areas. Under Norwegian law,…