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Arctic seizure over Crimea
Norway seized the Russian expedition cruise vessel Professor Molchanov in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard on Wednesday at the request of Ukraine’s Naftogaz as part of efforts to enforce a $4.22 billion arbitration award tied to Russia’s 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea.
“Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard on Wednesday”
The seizure followed a court order issued Monday by the Nord-Troms and Senja district court, and Svalbard Governor Lars Fause said the ship was not allowed to leave its current location in Barentsburg.
Naftogaz said it was seeking to recover the award after Russia refused to pay, and Naftogaz CEO Sergii Fedorenko framed the move as justice for Russia’s “unlawful seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, condemned the action as “acts of state terrorism,” linking Norway’s seizure to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s warnings to foreign airlines about flying in Russia.
Russia’s ambassador to Norway, Nikolai Korchunov, told TASS that the seizure was a “politically motivated violation of international law,” and said the court decision would be appealed.
Putin vs Naftogaz
Naftogaz portrayed the seizure as enforcement rather than escalation, with Fedorenko saying, “This is another important step towards restoring justice for Russia’s unlawful seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea.”
Russia rejected that framing, with TASS quoting a foreign ministry spokesperson calling the Norwegian action “piracy,” while the Russian ambassador to Norway, Nikolai Korchunov, said the decision to seize the vessel would be appealed.
The AP reported that Putin compared the seizure to “state terrorism,” and said he criticized both the vessel action and Zelenskyy’s warning to foreign airlines about Ukrainian long-range drone attacks.
In Norway, the Justice Ministry said the matter was a legal dispute between Naftogaz and Russia and that “Russia can demand that the district court reassess the case,” according to DW.
Covington, the US law firm representing Naftogaz, said it had been tracking the Professor Molchanov for months and that Naftogaz’s lawyers applied to arrest the vessel and subject it to a compulsory sale.
What happens next
Naftogaz said it would continue pursuing Russian assets worldwide until the compensation awarded to Naftogaz and other Naftogaz Group companies is paid, as it coordinates enforcement across multiple jurisdictions.
“the principal stands at roughly $4.22 billion (€3.64bn)”
The Euronews account said the outstanding principal is about $4.22 billion (€3.64 billion) before interest and costs, which could raise the total to around $5 billion (€4.31 billion), and noted that Russia has declined to pay.
France 24 reported that the Kremlin had not issued a statement at the time of writing, while the Svalbard governor’s office said the governor would take care of the crew and passengers on board in collaboration with Trust Arktikugol.
The Independent described a 24-hour standoff with the Norwegian Coast Guard before the vessel was intercepted off Svalbard, and said Covington reported the application was approved by the Nord-Troms and Senja District Court on Monday.
In Russia’s response, the Foreign Ministry said the seizure left Russian citizens and organizations there “effectively under a state of blockade,” and said Moscow “will seek to lift the vessel’s arrest.”