Russia to Conduct a Surveillance Flight Over Norway Under Open Skies Treaty

Russian military experts will fly over the territory of Norway between November 23-27, acording to the National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Russian experts will conduct an aerial surveillance flight over Norway in an An-30 cartography aircraft within the scope of the Treaty on Open Skies, the head of Russia's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said on Monday.

"The surveillance flight with a maximum range of 1,700 kilometers (1,056 miles) will take place between November 23-27, taking off from Bardufoss Airport," Sergei Ryzhkov said.

Norwegian experts will be on board the plane to oversee the observance of treaty clauses, he added. The flight, Russia's 38th Open Skies flight this year, will take place to enhance mutual openness in military activities among the treaty signatories, according to the official.

Norwegian and British experts conducted a similar flight over Russia between August 24-28.

The Treaty on Open Skies entered into force from 2002, providing for unarmed aerial surveillance flights between member states. With 34 states ratifying the agreement, 27 states are Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) members. Russia ratified the agreement in 2001.