Norway seizes Russian ship as war reparation for Ukraine

Norway on Wednesday said it had seized a Russian vessel at the request of Ukrainian state firm Naftogaz, to ensure that the Russian Federation meets its outstanding obligations, confirming an earlier statement by Naftogaz.

The Ukrainian company has been pursuing legal action against Russia since 2016 to seek compensation for Moscow's expropriation of Naftogaz property when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.

A tribunal in The Hague in April 2023 ordered Russia to pay Naftogaz $4.22 billion plus interest and legal costs to compensate for assets it seized in Crimea, but Moscow has not done so.

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Naftogaz said the seizure was ordered by the Nord-Troms and Senja District Court on 31 August. It said the vessel, the Professor Molchanov, was owned by Russia and used for commercial expedition cruises, including to the Norwegian archipelago Svalbard.

"Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitral award," said Naftogaz Acting CEO Sergii Fedorenko.

Under the court order, the vessel may not leave its current location. The Governor of Svalbard is required to take the necessary measures to prevent the vessel from being moved.

The governor's office said in a statement that the ship was seized on Wednesday and would be held on the Arctic island until the court decides otherwise.

"We will continue to pursue Russian assets around the world until the compensation awarded to Naftogaz and other Naftogaz Group companies is paid," the company said.

Naftogaz has said it is coordinating enforcement measures across multiple jurisdictions, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Finland, where Russian assets have been frozen. Russia is appealing the process, saying no notice was given.