Russian commission advises pardon for Norwegian in spy case

 An official Russian commission has recommended a presidential pardon for a Norwegian serving a 14-year sentence for espionage.

The recommendation was reported Thursday, one day before Foreign Minister Lavrov is to meet his Norwegian counterpart in the Arctic city of Kirkenes to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Soviet army’s liberation of northern Norway from the Nazis in World War II.

Kirkenes is the hometown of Frode Berg, a retired border inspector who was arrested in Moscow in December 2017 on charges of collecting information about Russian nuclear submarines. Berg denied the charge but was convicted in April.

The Interfax news agency cited Tatiana Potayeva, a member of the Moscow Pardons Commission, as saying the recommendation had been sent to President Vladimir Putin.