The Norwegian government decided to shoot 40 reindeer that were grazing in Russia's Pasvik Nature Reserve to avoid paying compensation for the environmental damage they caused.

"They were immediately slaughtered because there was a fear that they might go back to Russia," the Associated Press reports.

The local authorities did not want to pay compensation for reindeer grazing in another country’s nature reserve. Now, Norway is rebuilding a dilapidated fence along the border to stop the migration process.

Information on the killing of the animals was confirmed in the kingdom's directorate of agriculture.

The Norwegian government said that this year 42 reindeer had crossed the border with Russia in search of better pastures and grounds. In turn, the management of the Pasvik Nature Reserve in the Murmansk region sent a letter requesting 47 million kroner (almost 420 million rubles) in damages for the illegal grazing of animals on a Russian specially protected nature area. The reindeer eat valuable lichen.