Norway seizes Russian ship on behalf of Ukraine's Naftogaz
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Norwegian authorities seized a Russian vessel at the port of Barentsburg in Svalbard, Norway, on Sept. 2 at the request of Ukraine's national oil and gas company, Naftogaz.
The seizure was part of a global effort to force Russia to pay for its illegal takeover of Naftogaz assets during the occupation of Crimea. A Hague tribunal in 2023 ordered Russia to pay Naftogaz $4.22 billion plus interest to compensate for its unlawful seizures.With Russia refusing to pay, Ukraine and its allies have had to seek other ways to collect the debt — including the seizure of Russian state assets.
A decision by the District Court of Nord-Trondelag and Sor-Trondelag on Aug. 31 cleared the way for Norway to seize the Professor Molchanov, a Russian state ship used for commercial expedition cruises around the Svalbard archipelago.
Under the court order, Svalbard Governor Lars Fause can prevent the ship from leaving port. Fause has determined the Professor Molchanov will remain in Barentsburg until the court orders otherwise, his office said in a statement.
Fause will also take care of the crew and passengers aboard the vessel in collaboration with Trust Arcticugol, a Russian state-owned enterprise that manages Russian mining operations in the archipelago.
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"This is another important step towards restoring justice for Russia's unlawful seizure of Naftogaz assets in Crimea," Acting Naftogaz CEO Serhii Fedorenko said in a statement.
"Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitral award. We will continue to pursue Russian assets around the world until the compensation awarded to Naftogaz and other Naftogaz Group companies is paid."
Norway's seizure of the Professor Molchanov follows a spike in European efforts to intercept Russian-linked vessels at sea.
Sweden's top court ruled in June 2026 that a seized Russian ship illegally transporting grain from Russian-occupied territories be handed over to Ukraine. The same month, U.K. forces boarded and detained a Russian-sanctioned oil fleet tanker in the English Channel. Ten days later, the French navy seized an illegal Russian oil tanker in the Mediterranean for the first time.
Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened on Aug. 12 to "respond in kind" if European countries seize Russian commercial vessels.
