Russia demands 'immediate release' of vessel seized by Norway

OSLO: Russia on Thursday (Sep 3) demanded the "immediate release" of a Russian ship seized by Norway a day earlier in the Arctic at the demand of Ukrainian state energy group Naftogaz as compensation for asset seizures.The governor of Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago located 1,000 kilometres (621 miles) south of the North Pole, announced the seizure of the vessel, the Professor Molchanov, on Wednesday, citing an August 31 court order.Naftogaz is seeking $4.2 billion from Russia as compensation for the seizure of its assets following Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea.In 2023, a Hague-based arbitration tribunal ruled in favour of the Ukrainian company, a ruling Norway recognises. The Professor Molchanov, a research vessel primarily used for expedition cruises, is currently stuck at the quay in Barentsburg, a mining settlement operated by Russia in Svalbard, pending a new decision by the governor or by the Norwegian courts, the governor's office said.The Russian foreign ministry on Thursday said it had summoned the Norwegian ambassador to Russia, Heidi Olufsen, to lodge a "strong protest" over the seizure.She was "informed that the Russian side categorically rejects not only the seizure of the Professor Molchanov but also the recent intensification of Norway's actions aimed at curtailing the legitimate Russian presence on the archipelago", the ministry said.The Russian embassy in Norway condemned what it called "a politically motivated violation of international law" and announced it would lodge an appeal."We demand the immediate release of the vessel and that the safety of the passengers and crew be ensured," the embassy said in an email to AFP."OBLIGED TO IMPLEMENT THE COURT'S RULING"Norwegian authorities meanwhile said they are not "a party" in the case."As the authority responsible for enforcing court decisions, the governor of Svalbard is obliged to implement the court's ruling," Norwegian justice ministry spokesperson Frank Lynum told AFP."This applies to all cases of attachment and enforcement, regardless of the parties involved," he added, saying the issue was handled "in the ordinary way by the Norwegian courts".Because of sanctions imposed by Norway after Russia invaded Ukraine, the seized vessel is, according to the Russian embassy, the only supply channel for Russian settlements in Svalbard.The Arctic archipelago is governed by a 1920 treaty.While it recognises Norwegian sovereignty, the treaty also grants nationals of all the contracting parties the right to exploit natural resources there "on a footing of absolute equality".Russia operates a coal mine in the village of Barentsburg, where around 350 Russian and Russian-speaking Ukrainian residents live, as well as another smaller settlement called Pyramiden.Oslo stresses that the rights guaranteed by the treaty do not exempt other nationals or companies from complying with Norwegian laws and regulations.