Sverre Ingebregt Selmer Nilsen (25 May 1931 – 18 June 1991) was a Norwegian fisherman spying for the GRU during the Cold War.
[1]: 153–171 Nilsen, originally from Bakfjord in Måsøy Municipality in Finnmark, was recruited in 1948[3] after threats from Soviet agents towards his family.
The disclosure shocked Norway, as well as its NATO allies, as the espionage had been carried out through the peak of the Cold War.
[3] After the arrest, and the subsequent premature release, Nilsen spoke openly about his activities as an agent for the Soviet regime.
The documentary was originally stopped following discussions in the press, as well as between representatives from the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation and the National Defense Administration.