Svalbard – the Norwegian archipelago located 1,000 km south of the North Pole – announced on Wednesday the detention of the ship “Professor Molčanov,” based on a court ruling dated August 31.
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“Naftogaz” seeks to claim $4.2 billion (3.5 billion euros) in compensation from Russia for the confiscation of its assets after Moscow annexed Crimea in 2014.
In 2023, the arbitration court based in The Hague ruled in favor of the Ukrainian company. Norway recognizes this decision.
“Professor Molčanov” – a research vessel mainly used for expedition trips – is currently stuck in Barentsburg, a Russian-controlled mining settlement in Svalbard, until a new decision is made by the governor or Norwegian courts, the governor’s office reported.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday that it summoned the Norwegian ambassador to Russia, Heidi Olufsen, to express a “strong protest” over the ship’s detention.
She was “informed that the Russian side categorically rejects not only the detention of the ship ‘Professor Molčanov’ but also the recently intensified Norwegian actions aimed at restricting the lawful Russian presence in the archipelago,” the ministry stated.
The Russian embassy in Norway condemned what it called a “politically motivated violation of international law” and announced it would file a complaint.
“We demand the immediate release of the ship and the assurance of the safety of passengers and crew,” the embassy wrote in an email to the news agency AFP.
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Meanwhile, Norwegian officials stated that they are not a party to this case.
“The Governor of Svalbard, as the institution responsible for enforcing court decisions, must implement the court ruling,” Frank Lynum, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Ministry of Justice, told AFP.
“This applies to all cases of asset seizure and enforcement, regardless of the parties involved,” he added, noting that this matter was handled “in the usual manner in Norwegian courts.”
Due to sanctions imposed by Norway following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the detained ship, according to the Russian embassy, is the only supply channel to Russian settlements in Svalbard.
The Arctic archipelago is governed by a 1920 treaty.
Although the treaty recognizes Norwegian sovereignty, it also grants citizens of all signatory parties the right to exploit natural resources there “on the basis of full equality.”
Russia operates a coal mine in the town of Barentsburg, home to about 350 Russians and Russian-speaking Ukrainian citizens, as well as another smaller settlement called Pyramiden.
Oslo emphasizes that the rights guaranteed by the treaty do not exempt citizens or companies of other countries from the obligation to comply with Norwegian laws and regulations.
