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Norway repatriates 69 Russians, holds ship
The gist
Norway repatriated 69 Russians from the seized research vessel Professor Molchanov in Svalbard.
The arrest enforces a $4.22 billion Naftogaz award over assets seized in Crimea.
How it unfolded
- 2023An arbitration court in The Hague ordered Russia to pay Naftogaz $4.22 billion for assets seized in Crimea.
- 2025Naftogaz filed suit for the Professor Molchanov's arrest with Norwegian courts and won the right to seize the ship, with the court recognizing the arbitration award as a legal basis.
- Sep 2, 2026A court issued an order to impound the vessel and passed the instruction to the governor of Svalbard, Lars Fause.