‘Ukraine war will not end’:Putin angry over Norwegian ship seizures, says seizing Russian ships is terrorism

Tensions have increased at sea over Russian ships amid the Russia-Ukraine war. President Vladimir Putin has warned about attacks on Russian civilian and commercial vessels. He called these attacks terrorism and said they were making the chances of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine even more difficult. Putin referred to recent incidents involving the seizure of Russian civilian ships. He also expressed anger over Norway’s detention of the Russian research vessel Professor Molchanov. Norway seized the ship at Ukraine’s request Norway detained the vessel following a request from Ukraine’s state-owned company Naftogaz. At the time, the Professor Molchanov was docked in the Barentsburg area of Svalbard. It is a Russian state-owned research vessel that travels between Murmansk and Svalbard. Along with scientists and research staff, their families and tourists also travel on the ship. It also carries essential supplies to the Russian settlements in Svalbard. Norway seized the ship not over an alleged breach of maritime sanctions, but in connection with an old compensation case. In 2014, after Russia annexed Crimea, it took control of Naftogaz’s assets there. Naftogaz then sought compensation from Russia. In 2023, an international court in The Hague ordered Russia to pay Naftogaz around $4.22 billion. Russia has not paid the amount so far.