Norway seizes a Russian vessel in remote Arctic, drawing Putin's ire
- Norwegian authorities seized the Russian vessel Professor Molchanov in Svalbard at Ukraine's request to recover a $4.22 billion arbitration award.
- The award stems from Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and seizure of Ukrainian energy assets, which an international arbitral tribunal ordered Russia to pay in 2023.
- Putin condemned the seizure as 'state terrorism' and said it complicated prospects for peace talks, claiming Ukraine's allies were 'complicit in international terrorism' by remaining silent.
- Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned Norway's ambassador to lodge a protest, claiming the ship belongs to state agency Rosgidromet and that the seizure left Russian citizens and organizations on Svalbard 'effectively under a state of blockade'.
- Russia's ambassador to Norway said the seizure was a 'politically motivated violation of international law' and that the court's decision would be appealed.
Norwegian authorities have seized the Russian vessel Professor Molchanov in the remote Arctic archipelago of Svalbard at Ukraine's request. The seizure, ordered by a Norwegian court, aims to help Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz recover a $4.22 billion arbitration award that Russia has refused to pay since 2023. The award stems from Russia's 2014 illegal annexation of Crimea and its seizure of Ukrainian energy assets, including gas fields and pipelines.
Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the seizure as "state terrorism" during remarks at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok. He stated that such incidents complicated prospects for future peace talks and accused Ukraine's allies of being "complicit in international terrorism" by remaining silent on the matter. Russia's Foreign Ministry summoned Norway's ambassador to lodge a formal protest.
Russia claims the ship belongs to its state weather and environmental monitoring agency Rosgidromet and was carrying workers, scientists, and cargo to Russian settlements on Svalbard. The ministry argued that the seizure has left Russian citizens and organizations on the island "effectively under a state of blockade." Russia's ambassador to Norway characterized the action as a "politically motivated violation of international law" and indicated the court's decision would be appealed. Naftogaz, meanwhile, stated it will continue pursuing Russian assets worldwide to enforce the arbitration award.
挪威在北极偏远地区扣押俄罗斯船只,引发普京不满
挪威当局应乌克兰要求,在北极偏远的斯瓦尔巴群岛扣押俄罗斯船只"莫尔恰诺夫教授号"。挪威法院下令扣押该船,以帮助乌克兰国家能源公司纳夫托加兹追偿42.2亿美元的仲裁裁决,俄罗斯自2023年以来拒绝支付。该裁决源于俄罗斯2014年非法吞并克里米亚及没收乌克兰能源资产(包括气田和管道)。
俄罗斯总统普京在符拉迪沃斯托克远东经济论坛上发表讲话,谴责扣押行为为"国家恐怖主义"。他表示此类事件复杂化了未来和平谈判的前景,并指责乌克兰盟国"共谋国际恐怖主义"。俄罗斯外交部召见挪威驻莫斯科大使提出正式抗议。
俄罗斯声称该船属于其国家气象和环境监测机构罗斯吉德罗梅特,当时正向斯瓦尔巴俄罗斯定居点运送工作人员、科学家和货物。外交部辩称扣押行为使岛上俄罗斯公民和组织"实际上处于被封锁状态"。俄罗斯驻挪威大使将此举定性为"政治动机的国际法违反",并表示将对法院裁决提出上诉。与此同时,纳夫托加兹表示将继续在全球范围内追偿俄罗斯资产以执行仲裁裁决。