Paul Goble
Staunton, Sept. 4 – Russians have expressed outrage at the decision of a Norwegian court to detain a Russian ship in Svalbard (Spitzbergen) in fulfillment of a 2023 decision of the international criminal court to compensate a Ukrainian company for Russian seizures of its assets, a court decision that Moscow has ignored.
Vladimir Putin called the decision of the Norwegian court at the end of August and the actions of Svalbard police in carrying it out an act of “state terrorism” with others in Moscow demanding a tough response. So far, however, the Russian government has limited itself to appealing the decision and diplomatic protests.
The passengers have been offloaded and will be returned to Russia, while the crew remains onboard. Whether Moscow will take further action very much remains to be seen (ru.thebarentsobserver.com/novosti/cuzezemcy-v-forme-i-spicbergen-russkaa-zemla-cto-proishodit-posle-aresta-professora-molcanova-na-arhipelage-i-v-rossijskih-media/457304).
This is the latest chapter in the long-running story of Russian efforts to test the resolve of NATO on the archipelago that has a complicated treaty arrangement that Moscow has exploited to the fullest in the past and that some think will be the place where Russia will move first against NATO (jamestown.org/moscow-using-svalbard-to-test-natos-readiness-and-resolve/ and jamestown.org/moscows-first-move-against-nato-could-take-place-in-norways-svalbard-archipelago/).
The ship in question, the Professor Molchanov, is identified by the Russians as a research vessel; but over the past two years, it has brought workers, tourists, and others to the islands to see just how far Russia can push the limits. (On that history, see windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2026/06/moscow-organizes-summer-school-in.html, windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2026/05/russian-victory-day-ceremony-on.html and windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2026/03/russian-company-on-svalbard-hoists.html.)
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