Norway helps 69 Russians return home after cruise ship seizure
A court ordered the Professor Molchanov seized in Svalbard amid a dispute involving Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz.
Norway said it helped 69 Russian citizens return home after the small cruise ship that carried them to the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard was seized under a court order.
The governor of Svalbard said the Russian citizens traveled back to Russia on Tuesday through the Norwegian town of Kirkenes. The seizure of the Professor Molchanov had left its passengers and crew stranded.
A Norwegian court ordered the vessel’s seizure on behalf of Naftogaz, a Ukrainian energy company seeking to enforce a $4.22 billion compensation award. The award concerns assets taken by Moscow when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
Moscow has characterized Norway’s action as piracy and said it intends to appeal the ruling.