The Russian authorities have summoned this Thursday the Norwegian ambassador in Moscow, Heidi Olufsen, to express their displeasure over the detention of the Russian oceanographic vessel 'Profesor Molchanov' in Norwegian waters of the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard.
The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated in a statement: "We want to express our strong protest to the Norwegian ambassador regarding the detention of the vessel, seized on September 2 when it was in the port of Barentsburg (on the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen)."
According to Moscow, the Russian authorities firmly reject "Norway's actions," which, in their view, "seem to have intensified" and are "intended to limit the Russian presence in the area, which is legitimate." Therefore, the Russian government has urged Oslo to "unconditionally comply with International Law."
The Ministry has emphasized that "this includes the provisions and spirit of the Svalbard Treaty, signed in 1920." It has also stressed: "We will seek to lift the measure taken against the vessel 'Profesor Molchanov'," before specifying that both parties "remain in contact" to ensure that "the crew and passengers receive the legal and consular assistance that corresponds."
The Norwegian authorities communicated on Wednesday the detention of the vessel in compliance with a court ruling arising from a claim by the Ukrainian state oil and gas company Naftogaz. The Kremlin, for its part, has defined the seizure as an act of "state terrorism."
Although the Svalbard archipelago is part of Norway, a treaty signed in 1920 recognizes Russia's right to exploit natural resources in the area, which supports its diplomatic presence in the territory. In this context, the 'Profesor Molchanov' --related to the Shirshov Oceanographic Institute, sanctioned by the United States and Ukraine-- has been conducting research on the seabed of the islands in search of minerals for years.