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Fake Norway sold secret military base to Russia

On the Russian segment of Facebook, on a YouTube page and in media broadcasting pro-Kremlin rhetoric, a video was circulated stating that Norway had sold Russia a strategically important facility, the Olavsvern submarine base, for $4.4 million. It is also noted that Jens Stoltenberg, former Prime Minister of Norway, agreed to the sale. This base was bought by Gunnar Wilhelmsen, who later allegedly sold it to Russia. The Norwegians turned their attention to the base when two Russian ships stopped there. They employ Russian scientists who provide detailed analysis to the Russian military on NATO infrastructure. It's fake.

The fact-checkers of the Myth Detector project drew attention to the case. Norway did not sell a military base to Russia. In 2013, the Olavsvern military base was decommissioned, after which it was bought by a Norwegian private investment group. And in 2014–2015, Russian ships used the port of this base. However, Olavsvern itself has never belonged to either the Russian authorities themselves or Russian companies. This information was confirmed by the new owners of the base, WilNor Governmental Services AS, which bought it in 2020.

Thus, Russian propaganda is trying to discredit the Norwegian authorities, sow discouragement among Ukrainians and quarrel Ukraine with Western partners. Earlier, we refuted the fake that a billboard appeared in Japan with the inscription: “Stop Zelenskyi, stop the war”.

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