NATO’s northernmost border with Russia is patrolled by Norwegian Army conscripts. Stretching 196 kilometers through Arctic tundra, this remote frontier runs through one of the most inhospitable environments in Europe. In winter, temperatures can drop below -40 degrees Celsius, while deep snow and long periods of darkness make even routine tasks physically and emotionally draining. In these conditions, maintaining constant alertness and situational awareness is essential.
The conscripts operate from a series of remote watchtowers and cabins positioned along the border. Deployed for up to six weeks at a time, they live and work in small units with little contact with the outside world. Isolated from the routines of daily life, they must adapt to the physical and mental demands of prolonged time in the wilderness. From these outposts, they monitor activity across a strategically significant region and maintain a continuous presence on Norway’s frontier with Russia. Their role extends beyond static observation. Moving through the Arctic terrain by ski and snowmobile, they patrol the borderlands in all conditions, deterring any illegal border crossings and demonstrating a continued presence.
Working closely in small teams to defend their territory, they have earned their nickname ‘the Wolves’.
Footage includes patrols on ski and snowmobiles, lookouts in a watchtower, shots of the Norwegian-Russian border crossing and soundbites from three conscripts from the Jaeger Battalion GSV.
---SHOTLIST—
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – A SNOWMOBILE TURNS ON
(00:05) VARIOUS SHOTS – A PASSENGER SITS DOWN ONTO A SNOWMOBILE
(00:15) VARIOUS SHOTS – A SNOWMOBILE DRIVES ALONG FOREST TRACKS
(00:29) VARIOUS GOPRO SHOTS – A SNOWMOBILE DRIVES THROUGH A SNOWY LANDSCAPE
(00:54) MEDIUM SHOT – A NORWEGIAN CONSCRIPT PUTS ON SKIS
(00:59) CLOSE SHOT – A NORWEGIAN CONSCRIPT TIGHTENS THE STRAPS OF THEIR SKIS
(01:04) MEDIUM SHOT – TWO NORWEGIAN CONSCRIPTS PREPARE TO PATROL ON SKIS
(01:11) VARIOUS SHOTS – NORWEGIAN CONSCRIPTS SKI THROUGH THICK FORESTS
(01:42) VARIOUS SHOTS – NORWEGIAN CONSCRIPTS SKI ACROSS A FROZEN LAKE
(01:57) MEDIUM SHOT – NORWEGIAN CONSCRIPTS PICK UP THEIR SKIS
(02:02) VARIOUS SHOTS – A CONSCRIPT CHOPS WOOD INTO KINDLING
(02:07) WIDE SHOT – CONSCRIPTS GATHER AROUND A FIRE
(02:14) MEDIUM SHOT – A CONSCRIPT TENDS THE FIRE
(02:17) VARIOUS SHOTS – THE CONSCRIPTS’ FIRE
(02:23) WIDE SHOT – A CAR TURNS AROUND AT THE NORWEGIAN-RUSSIAN BORDER
(02:28) WIDE SHOT – THE NORWEGIAN-RUSSIAN BORDER CROSSING
(02:32) VARIOUS SHOTS – DETAILS OF THE NORWEGIAN-RUSSIAN BORDER
(02:50) SLOW MOTION SHOT – A SNOWMOBILE DRIVER PULLS ON GOGGLES
(02:57) SLOW MOTION SHOT – A SNOWMOBILE DRIVES OVER A HILL
(03:13) SLOW MOTION SHOT – A SNOWMOBILE SPEEDS PAST CAMERA
(03:18) WIDE SHOT – THE WATCHTOWER IN THE SNOW
(03:23) VARIOUS SLOW MOTION SHOTS – A CONSCRIPTS LOOKS THROUGH BINOCULARS FROM THE WATCHTOWER
(03:38) SLOW MOTION SHOT – THE NORWEGIAN FLAG SEEN THROUGH THE WINDOW OF THE WATCHTOWER
(03:43) VARIOUS SHOTS – A CONSCRIPT LOOKS THROUGH LARGE, MOUNTED BINOCULARS FROM THE WATCHTOWER
(03:55) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), PRIVATE BENJAMIN, JAEGER BATTALION GSV, NORWEGIAN ARMY
“We are patrolling the Norwegian-Russian border, so we go and see if there’s any activity that needs to be noted.”
(04:04) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), PRIVATE BENJAMIN, JAEGER BATTALION GSV, NORWEGIAN ARMY
“The border of Russia, it gets very much snow. And it’s cold. It can get up to -40 degrees and it’s dark. It’s sometimes hard to travel in the woods. You need to use special equipment like skis or snowmobiles to get to where you’re going. And it’s a part of the duty.”
(04:53) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), PRIVATE BENJAMIN, JAEGER BATTALION GSV, NORWEGIAN ARMY
“It’s not just the Norwegian border, but it’s also NATO’s border. And it feels very great to be handed this job and feel like I need to do something important. So if I see something, I can’t just let it go, I need to investigate and see what’s up, and that makes me feel very important both to Norway and for NATO.”
(04:29) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), PRIVATE SANDER, JAEGER BATTALION GSV, NORWEGIAN ARMY
“When we observe we want to see any activity really, it could be civilian or military. And we note it and we want to pick up on unusual activity when it happens.”
(05:09) SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH), PRIVATE SANDER, JAEGER BATTALION GSV, NORWEGIAN ARMY
“Knowing that Russia is at war with another neighbouring country, it’s like really serious what we’re doing, and you really want to do well, like you want to do your best.”
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