Russia has accused Norway of an “act of piracy” after Norwegian authorities seized the Russian research vessel Professor Molchanov in Svalbard, escalating tensions over a legal dispute involving Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Thursday that Moscow viewed the seizure as part of what she described as a broader deterioration in Western approaches to maritime affairs.
“For decades, maritime law was the guiding principle in maritime affairs. Today, everything has been mixed up, everything has been discarded, and they have simply embarked on genuine piracy,” Zakharova said on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok.
Vessel seized over Naftogaz claim
Norwegian authorities seized The Professor Molchanov on Wednesday while it was docked in Barentsburg, Svalbard, after a court granted Naftogaz the right to seize the vessel, according to the Governor of Svalbard.
The Nord-Troms District Court issued the order as part of Naftogaz’s efforts to recover funds linked to assets it says were expropriated by Russia in 2014.
The vessel has been ordered to remain in Barentsburg until the governor or the court decides otherwise.
Moscow denounces ‘degradation’
Zakharova described the seizure as “horrifying” and a “degradation,” arguing that it represented a retreat from established international maritime practices.
The dispute adds another layer to tensions between Russia and Western countries over property, sanctions and legal claims stemming from the conflict involving Russia and Ukraine.
