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Norway Seizes Russian Vessel at Ukrainian Company's Request; Putin Calls It ‘State Terrorism’

From El Universal · () Spanish

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

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago at the request of Ukraine's Naftogaz, which is pursuing a $4.22 billion arbitration award against Russia.
  • Naftogaz says the award stems from Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea and seizure of Ukrainian energy assets, while Russia rejects the payment obligation.
  • Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the seizure and Ukrainian warnings to foreign airlines about flying over Russia, saying such incidents complicate prospects for future peace talks.

Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago at the request of Ukraine's state energy company Naftogaz, opening another front in the effort to enforce a $4.22 billion arbitration award against Russia.

This is another important step toward restoring justice for Russia's illegal seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea. Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitration award. We will continue pursuing Russian assets around the world.

· Sergii FedorenkoThe Naftogaz director general described the seizure as part of efforts to enforce the arbitration award.

Naftogaz is seeking compensation for energy assets, including gas fields and pipelines, that it says Russia illegally seized after annexing Crimea in 2014. An arbitration tribunal in The Hague ordered Russia in 2023 to pay the Ukrainian company $4.22 billion. Russia has refused to pay, prompting Naftogaz to seek court orders in national jurisdictions that could allow Russian commercial assets to be seized.

“This is another important step toward restoring justice for Russia's illegal seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea. Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitration award. We will continue pursuing Russian assets around the world,” Naftogaz director general Sergii Fedorenko said.

acts of state terrorism

· Vladimir PutinPutin condemned the seizure of civilian vessels and attacks on merchant shipping.

Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned Norway's action the following day. He said the seizure of civilian vessels and attacks on merchant shipping were “acts of state terrorism.” Speaking at the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, Putin linked the vessel seizure to warnings from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that foreign airlines could no longer consider Russian airspace safe because of Ukrainian long-range drone attacks.

accomplices in international terrorism

· Vladimir PutinHe accused Kyiv's allies of complicity for remaining silent about the incidents.

Putin said the incidents “complicate” prospects for future peace talks and accused Kyiv's allies of being “accomplices in international terrorism” for remaining silent. Russia's ambassador to Norway, Nikolai Korchunov, called the seizure a politically motivated violation of international law. He said the court decision would be appealed and that the embassy was in contact with the vessel's crew and passengers.

a politically motivated violation of international law

· Nikolai KorchunovRussia's ambassador to Norway described the seizure and said the decision would be appealed.
About this summary

Originally published by El Universal in Spanish. 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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