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🇮🇸 Iceland /Conflict & Security

Russia demands release of ship detained in Svalbard

From Morgunblaðið · () Icelandic

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

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Russia has demanded that Norway release the research ship Professor Molchanov, which authorities detained in Svalbard at Naftogaz’s request.
  • Naftogaz won a $4.2 billion arbitration award against Russia over assets seized during the annexation of Crimea, and Norwegian authorities recognize the ruling.
  • Russia’s embassy condemned the detention and said it would appeal, while Norway said the Svalbard governor must enforce the court order.

Moscow is demanding the immediate release of a Russian research ship held at a Svalbard port after Ukraine’s Naftogaz sought its detention to enforce a multibillion-dollar compensation ruling.

Political violation of international law.

· Russian Embassy in NorwayThe embassy used this phrase to condemn the ship’s detention.

The Svalbard governor detained the Professor Molchanov on the basis of a court decision dated Aug. 31. The vessel is currently stuck at the dock in Barentsburg, the Russian-operated mining settlement on Svalbard, while the governor or Norwegian courts consider the next step.

Naftogaz pursued compensation for property Russia confiscated in Crimea after annexing the peninsula in 2014. An international arbitration court in The Hague awarded the Ukrainian oil and gas company $4.2 billion in damages, equivalent to 510 billion Icelandic kronur. Norwegian authorities recognize the ruling.

We demand that the ship be released immediately and that the safety of the passengers and crew be ensured.

· Russian Embassy in NorwayThe embassy called for the vessel’s immediate release in comments to AFP.

The Russian embassy in Norway condemned the detention as a “political violation of international law” and said Russian authorities would appeal. “We demand that the ship be released immediately and that the safety of the passengers and crew be ensured,” the embassy said in an email to AFP.

As the authority responsible for enforcing court orders, the Svalbard governor is obliged to implement the court’s ruling.

· Frank LynumThe Norwegian Justice Ministry spokesman explained why the detention was carried out.

Norway’s Justice Ministry said the country was not a direct party to the dispute. Frank Lynum, a ministry spokesman, said the Svalbard governor is responsible for enforcing court orders and therefore must implement the Hague ruling. “This applies to all cases involving detention and enforcement, regardless of which parties are involved,” Lynum told AFP. He said Norwegian courts were handling the matter in the usual way.

This applies to all cases involving detention and enforcement, regardless of which parties are involved.

· Frank LynumLynum said Norway applies its enforcement procedures regardless of the parties in a case.
About this summary

Originally published by Morgunblaðið in Icelandic. 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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