Sept. 3 (UPI) — Norwegian authorities seized a Russian ship on Svalbard, an arctic archipelago that’s part of Norway.
The ship, the Professor Molchanov, was seized at the port of Barentsburg in Svalbard. The seizure of the ship was requested by the Naftogaz Group, Ukraine‘s largest state-owned gas and oil company.
The company won a lawsuit against Russia for $4.2 billion plus interest and costs, and the Nord-Troms and Senja District Court in Norway ordered the seizure on Aug. 31.
The Norwegian court ruling follows a decision by a Dutch court in late 2024 that confirmed that the award was enforceable in Norway. The Hague had awarded Naftogaz Group compensation for assets seized by Russia in 2014 in occupied Crimea.
“This is another important step towards restoring justice for Russia’s unlawful seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea, said Naftogaz’s acting CEO Sergii Fedorenko in a statement. “Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitral award. We will continue to pursue Russian assets around the world until the compensation awarded to Naftogaz and other Naftogaz Group companies is paid.”
Lars Fause, governor of Svalbard, said in a statement that his government had seized the ship. “It has been decided that the vessel will remain berthed in Barentsburg until the governor or the Nord-Troms District Court decides otherwise,” he said.
Fause said his government will take responsibility for the crew and passengers on board in cooperation with Arktikugol, a Russian coal company that operates on Svalbard.
The ship is an oceanographic research vessel originally built in Finland 43 years ago.
