Oslo - (AFP) - Norway announced Saturday that it had arrested a Russian citizen in possession of a drone and photography equipment after he was seen taking pictures of an airport in the far north, in the second such arrest within a week.

This comes as Norway, which has become Europe's main gas exporter, has tightened security measures around oil and gas facilities on its soil after mysterious drone strikes near these infrastructures, and supposed sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas lines in the nearby Baltic Sea.

Several Western countries suggested that the explosions that affected the Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines last month under the Baltic Sea were the result of sabotage.

The 51-year-old Russian, whose name was not revealed, was arrested on suspicion of flying a drone in Norway, which he admitted.

"Police confiscated large quantities of photographic equipment, including a drone and memory cards," police in the northern town of Tromsø said in a statement.

The confiscated equipment includes pictures of another airport in the northern town of Kirkenes, and of the Bell helicopters belonging to the Norwegian army.
Tromsø police said the Norwegian police security service had been invited to investigate.

Like other Western countries, Norway banned Russian individuals and entities from overflying its territory in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The law stipulates a prison sentence of up to three years for violators.

The Norwegian police announced Friday the arrest of another Russian in possession of two drones and a set of photos and video recordings while trying to return to his country.

Vitaly Rostanov, 50, stopped this week at the North Pole at Storskog, the only border crossing between Norway and Russia, according to Norwegian police.

Rostanov admitted that he "filmed and operated a drone for special purposes and confirmed that he likes to take pictures and that he is a photographer," according to the police.

He was carrying two Russian passports and an Israeli passport when he was arrested while trying to return to Russia.

According to the judicial decision, seen by Agence France-Presse, Rostanov has been in Norway since August and admitted that he had launched the drones to fly "all over the country". He had 4 terabytes of photos and videos, some of which had been encrypted.