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🇵🇱 Poland /Conflict & Security

Norway seizes Russian vessel as Kremlin threatens retaliation

From Rzeczpospolita · () Polish

Translated from Polish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A Norwegian court barred the Russian vessel Professor Molchanov from leaving Barentsburg, and the governor of Svalbard seized it on Sept. 2.
  • The action seeks to enforce an arbitration award requiring Russia to pay Naftogaz about $4.22 billion, plus interest and legal costs, for assets taken in Crimea.
  • Russian officials called the seizure unlawful and said Moscow would appeal the decision.

The Russian vessel Professor Molchanov is being held in the Svalbard port of Barentsburg under a Norwegian court order intended to recover part of the compensation Russia owes Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz.

The Nord-Troms and Senja District Court ruled on Aug. 31 that the vessel could not leave the port. Svalbard's governor enforced the decision on Sept. 2. Norwegian authorities will decide matters involving passengers aboard the ship.

This is another important step toward restoring justice. We will continue searching for Russian assets around the world until the compensation awarded to Naftogaz and other Group companies is paid.

· Serhiy FedorenkoNaftogaz's acting chief executive commented on the vessel seizure and the company's efforts to enforce the arbitration award.

The 71-meter vessel weighs 1,753 tonnes and belongs to the Russian state meteorological institution Roshydromet. Since June 2025, it has operated regular cargo and passenger services between Murmansk and Barentsburg, as well as commercial expedition cruises around the Svalbard archipelago.

Another example of legal nihilism and arbitrariness by Western countries.

· Alexei ChekunkovRussia's minister for Far East and Arctic Development criticized the seizure.

Naftogaz said the seizure would help enforce a 2023 ruling by an arbitration tribunal in The Hague. In April that year, the tribunal ordered Russia to pay $4.22 billion, along with interest and legal costs, for property belonging to Naftogaz that Russia confiscated in Crimea after its 2014 annexation. The Kremlin has rejected the ruling, prompting Naftogaz to seek Russian assets in countries where they are located, including Norway.

Serhiy Fedorenko, the company's acting chief executive, called the seizure another step toward recovering the award and said Naftogaz would keep searching for Russian assets worldwide. Russian Far East and Arctic Development Minister Alexei Chekunkov described the action as legal nihilism and arbitrariness by Western countries. He said the vessel was sovereign state property, that its detention violated international law, and that Russia would appeal.

We will appeal this decision. There have already been such precedents.

· Alexei ChekunkovChekunkov said Russia would challenge the Norwegian court's decision.
About this summary

Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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