Russia

Expedition participants on Professor Molchanov ship are safe — minister

TASS English · 2026-09-03

AI SUMMARY

• What happened: The Russian research vessel Professor Molchanov, seized by Norwegian authorities due to a complaint from Ukrainian company Naftogaz, had participants of the Arctic Biennale art and scientific expedition safely arrive in Spitsbergen. • Why it matters: The seizure highlights ongoing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the implications for international artistic and scientific collaborations in contested regions. • What to watch next: Monitor developments regarding the legal status of the Professor Molchanov and any potential diplomatic responses from Russia and Ukraine.

Expedition participants on Professor Molchanov ship are safe — minister The Norwegian authorities earlier seized the Russian ship following a complaint by Ukrainian company NaftogazVLADIVOSTOK, September 3. /TASS/. Participants in the Arctic Biennale art and scientific expedition who arrived in Spitsbergen aboard the Professor Molchanov, a Russian research vessel seized by Norwegian authorities, are safe, Russian Minister for the Development of the Far East Alexey Chekunkov said at a press briefing on the sidelines of the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF). Earlier, the official website of the Governor of Svalbard published a statement announcing that Norwegian authorities had seized the Professor Molchanov following a complaint by Ukrainian company Naftogaz. "A creative expedition arrived in Svalbard aboard the Professor Molchanov. It is an Arctic Biennale bringing together sculptors, artists, and students ranging in age from around 18 to over 70. The expedition is led by our renowned sculptor Alexander Ponomarev, who exhibited at the Venice Biennale and is internationally recognized. All of these people are safe and continuing their work. They are now doing what they came to Barentsburg to do: create art," Chekunkov said. TagsForeign policyRussian ambassador to Denmark describes claims of sabotage preparations as scare tacticsVladimir Barbin said that Head of the counterintelligence service Emil Graesholm did not provide any evidence to support the accusations against Russian intelligence servicesRead moreUS-Saudi deal allows uranium enrichment of up to 20% — WSJAccording to the newspaper, the agreement does not automatically authorize uranium enrichment in Saudi ArabiaRead moreBerlin using drone incident to divert attention from domestic problems — lawmakerBy closing the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin, the German government is continuing to drive the spiral of escalation against Russia, co-chair of the Left Party group in the Bundestag Soren PellmannRead moreNATO desperately looking for reasons to continue its artificial existence — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister noted that NATO was supposed to dissolve itself after the collapse of the Soviet UnionRead morePutin notes Trump’s positive attitude towards constructive workThe Russian president stated that Moscow supports the restoration of full-scale relations with WashingtonRead moreThird attempt to impeach Trump virtually inevitable — newspaperAccording to the newspaper, the consensus is that Republicans "are all but certain to lose their very narrow House majority"Read moreRussia will never beg Europe to lift sanctions — top diplomatRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that Russia has never constructed walls or isolated itself from EuropeRead moreWhat we know about FIS ruling on Russian athletes’ reinstatement at int’l tournamentsAthletes from Russia will compete as neutrals at international competitionsRead morePutin says Far East should be territory for cooperation"The region is a powerful center of growth and sets the pace for the development of the global economy," the Russian leader saidRead moreFACTBOX: What to know about Russian Foreign Ministry summoning German charge d’affairesBernd Finke left the ministry building after an hourRead morePutin recounts story of running into tiger in woods during his visit to Russia’s Far EastThe Russian president mentioned the natural wealth of these placesRead moreUkraine’s attempted UAV attack on Moscow Region among largest in last two yearsAccording to Sergey Sobyanin, between 8:00 a.m. Moscow Time on September 2 and 12:00 p.m. Moscow Time on Thursday, 548 unmanned aerial vehicles were heading toward the Moscow RegionRead moreNo one developing small nuclear power plants apart from Russia — PutinRussia has put into operation the first small floating power plant in the north, the Russian president said Read moreOnly six commodity vessels pass through Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday — agencyAccording to the report, the vessels included two very large gas carriers, two long-range tankers, one Supramax tanker and one Panamax tankerRead morePlacido Domingo to perform with Russian conductor Yuri Bashmet in MoscowThe concert’s program will feature musical pieces of different genres, which Domingo has performed over the course of his 60-year careerRead moreEU rapidly losing its advantages, many countries may review accession plans soon — LavrovIn terms of economy, the European Union is losing its competitive advantages because of many reasons, including its short-sightedness, if not outright stupidity, Russian Foreign Minister saidRead morePutin’s key statements at meeting with outgoing State Duma deputiesThe Russian leader noted that, despite external constraints, the country is holding steady in the global tech race, and that the Russian financial system is currently stableRead morePutin calls Indonesia Russia's key partner in Southeast AsiaThe Russian president recalled that the countries had signed a free trade agreement between the Eurasian Economic Union and IndonesiaRead moreUp to Russia, Ukraine to reach agreement, while others can only assist — PutinThe Russian president noted that that the People's Republic of China, for example, constantly pays attention to this and does everything possible to ensure that the problem is resolvedRead morePress review: Western plan drives Zelensky’s warning as US, Iran exchange strikes anewTop stories from the Russian press on Thursday, September 3rdRead moreIN BRIEF: What to know of Zelensky’s threats to Russian civil aviation, Moscow’s responseRussian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin highlighted that the ministry is constantly strengthening flight and airport security requirements and stands ready to respond to any threatRead moreRussia has no issues with troop numbers, while enemy losses rise monthly — PutinThe Russian leader said that Ukraine's losses are far higher than the number of people who join the army through forced mobilization and return from hospitalsRead moreBy talking about civil aviation hazards, Zelensky counts on revolt in Russia — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister said that efforts to undermine Russia are directed through "the Kiev regime’s atrocities"Read moreUS destroys new Iranian weapons near Strait of Hormuz — TrumpThe US leader noted that Iran had been trying to rebuild its radar and missile systemsRead moreGazprom CEO describes Europe’s gas reserves by saying 'winter will come'Gas inventories in European underground storage facilities (UGS) are at their lowest level since records began in 2011Read moreAgreeing to freeze conflict in Ukraine would mean revival of Nazism — Lavrov"It would be betraying our ancestors, who defeated Nazism in 1945," the Russian foreign minister said Read moreEurope has few options left to exert pressure on Russia — WSJAccording to the newspaper, decisive and meaningful diplomatic measures have largely been exhaustedRead moreWhat is known about shootout involving security service officers in KievDuring the initial investigation, the SBU stated that the detainees belonged to one of the Ukrainian Defense Forces unitsRead moreBelgium to keep blocking Russian asset expropriation — foreign ministerMaxime Prevot stressed that the majority of EU countries opposed the ideaRead moreNo plans to initiate downgrade in diplomatic ties with Germany — Kremlin spokesmanGermany has also not announced any such plans, Dmitry Peskov saidRead morePeacemaking with Russia is Ukraine's only chance to survive, says Russian senator"By attempting to force Russia to make peace on Ukraine's terms, Kiev is moving ever closer to a situation where peace terms will be determined by anyone but a weakened and decimated Ukraine," Alexander Voloshin saidRead moreWorld going through period of economic, geopolitical transition — RubioAccording to the US State Secretary, in foreign policy, one often has to choose not between "a perfect answer and a bad answer," but between "two less-than-ideal approaches"Read moreMaduro’s defense requests court to lift charges, citing sovereign immunityIn line with the international law, heads of state and high-ranking officials are granted personal immunity from criminal prosecutionRead moreTrump says merely suggested renaming Strait of Hormuz after himselfEarlier, the White House posted an excerpt of a map showing the Strait of Hormuz labeled "Trump Strait"Read moreNorway's seizure of Russian vessel is 'real piracy' — MFARussian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said this is precisely one element of this new Western interpretation of maritime affairs, or the maritime agendaRead moreImportant not to stifle economic growth — PutinThe Russian president noted that the Central Bank and the government are deliberately taking measures to curb inflationRead moreICAO notes growing risk of weapons use against civil aircraftLong-range weapons systems, unmanned aircraft systems, global navigation satellite system radio frequency interference, and advanced air defense systems are among the military technologies jeopardizing civilian aviationRead morePutin warns against attempts to 'devour' Russia, slams Kiev’s actions as state terrorismRussia will find a way to respond if the Kiev regime’s threats against civilian aviation materialize, the head of state emphasizedRead moreKremlin spokesman responds to Bessent's statement on Russian-Iranian relations"It is unlikely that the United States can or should monopolize its relations with any one country," Dmitry Peskov saidRead moreWarehouse with dual-use goods, energy infrastructure hit: strikes by Russian Armed ForcesThe Russian Armed Forces hit the Stellar Jet logistics center near the Vishnevoye settlement in the Kiev region using Geran-4 Seeker dronesRead moreInterceptor drone reaching speed up to 1,000 km/h is revolutionary development — expertThe drone acquires its target using machine vision and a thermal imagerRead moreRussian pilots strike Ukrainian UAV control post in Sumy Region with X-39 missileThe target was destroyed by the strikeRead moreTop Russian diplomat dismisses Europe’s fears of Russian attackRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized that he West "needs an enemy all the time"Read morePutin gives start to several major national enterprises at Eastern Economic ForumIn particular, Russia's first full-cycle copper mining and processing plant has been established in the Trans-Baikal regionRead moreEnsuring safety of refineries and maintenance schedules: statements by NovakThe Russian Deputy PM revealed that oil companies were allocating funds to protect oil refineries and interacting with the Defense MinistryRead moreCrew of Russian ship seized in Svalbard safe — ministerAlexey Chekunkov assured that the legal team of the ship’s owner will issue a formal legal response soonRead moreRussian economy is in state of 'overcooling' — GrefHerman Gref added that Sberbank also intends to provide all possible assistance to marketplaces and sellers affected by drone attacksRead moreBRICS overtakes G7 in economic output, successfully finances development — expertDirector of the Global South Program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft Sarang Shidore noted that BRICS had succeeded in creating the first truly transcontinental club outside the wealthy WestRead moreRussia to close Goethe-Institut offices in Russia in response to Russian House closureSergey Lavrov went on to say that Germany made the decision to close the Russian House in Berlin and the Consulate General in Bonn under the false pretext that the drone that crashed in Leipzig was allegedly RussianRead moreUkrainian attack damages substation supplying Energodar — mayorThere are no casualties, Mayor Maxim Pukhov saidRead moreGerman authorities want to help Kiev obtain coordinates of targets in Russia — Der SpiegelThe magazine recalled that, following the drone incident at Leipzig/Halle Airport, Berlin decided to step up military support for KievRead moreKiev loses some 1,510 troops along engagement line in past day — Russia’s top brassRussian air defense forces intercepted and destroyed 998 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles and two smart bombs over the past 24 hoursRead moreUS destroyed 28 ships in Strait of Hormuz on night of September 1, Trump saysAccording to the US leader, the United States control the Strait of HormuzRead moreBy attacking Energodar, Zelensky tries gain leverage in negotiations with Russia — expertAndrey Marochko called Energodar a "pain point" for Ukrainian militantsRead moreNorway seizes Russian vessel Professor Molchanov in SvalbardThe vessel is prohibited from leaving its current location pending a relevant decision by the Governor of SvalbardRead morePutin believes there is chance for settlement in UkraineThe Russian leader said Moscow is grateful to everyone who is trying to contribute to resolving this issueRead moreIN BRIEF: What is known about summoning of German Charge d'Affaires to MFAAccording to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Bernd Finke was told that Russia resolutely rejects Germany's completely trumped-up accusations regarding the incident in LeipzigRead moreKiev troops shell DPR 28 times in past day, four killedFive civil infrastructure sites, multiple cars and trucks, a bus and special vehicles were damaged as a result of these attacksRead moreRussian businesses invest in protection from Ukrainian attacks — PutinThis approach has already yielded the necessary results and effects, the head of state notedRead moreRussia to slightly cut oil output this year, exports remain stable — deputy PM NovakAlexander Novak emphasized that the decline in Russian oil production is a temporary trend, and an increase is expected as refineries resume operationsRead moreAnti-Russian actions by Germany to draw tough response — MFAGermany’s decision to close the Russian Consulate General in Bonn and the Russian House in Berlin marks another step toward the final destruction of Russia-Germany relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry saidRead moreRussia will not buy double-dealing calls for Ukraine ceasefire by EU, NATO — envoyRussian Ambassador to Belgium Denis Gonchar reiterated Moscow’s continuous commitment to achieving a long-term and sustainable solution to the Ukraine crisisRead moreUkrainian attacks on DPR kill four people, injure five over past 24 hoursFive civilian infrastructure facilities, a bus, specialized equipment, four trucks, and five passenger cars were damagedRead moreUS investigates circumstances of strike on wedding in Iran — NBCAn expert of arms intelligence firm Armament Research Services said that, in his opinion, the attack probably involved US air-delivered precision guided weaponsRead moreMerz seeking to gain support in Germany through anti-Russian measures — KremlinAccording to Dmitry Peskov, it turns out extremely clumsyRead moreBerlin was tipped from abroad to blame Russia for Leipzig drone incident — Der SpiegelAccording to sources, the special services in a foreign country told German authorities that those implicated in the incident could have ties with the Russian special servicesRead moreBuildings damaged, factory catches fire in Ukrainian drone barrage on Moscow RegionA drone hit an apartment building in the area of Pavlovsky Posad, shattering windows in eight flatsRead moreBerlin provides zero evidence of Russian involvement in Leipzig incident — ambassadorThe Russian Embassy in Berlin earlier described the incident as a hastily fabricated provocationRead moreBattlegroup North destroys over 240 Ukrainian dugouts, deployment sites near KharkovAccording to the serviceman with the call sign Grif, Battlegroup North strikes the Ukrainian armed forces’ dugouts and temporary deployment sites, using attack UAVs, including FPV dronesRead morePutin calls threats to attack civilian aircraft state terrorismThe Russian leader stressed that it complicates the prospects for holding bilateral peace talksRead moreIN BRIEF: Russian Foreign Minister on Ukraine conflict, Europe’s military buildupSergey Lavrov also addressed the status of the Russian language and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, and the situation in the Asia-Pacific regionRead morePutin speaks on Ukraine peace, protecting enterprises at EEFThe Russian leader confirmed that businesses were indeed now obliged to protect their facilities from Ukrainian attacksRead moreTrump looking forward to discuss many 'good, productive' issues with Xi JinpingOfficial Washington has publicly signaled on several occasions that it hopes for a return visit by the Chinese President this fallRead moreRussia trains group of servicemen to guard Madagascar’s leadershipTransitional Malagasy Prime Minister Mamitiana Rajaonarison said that equal partnership, Russia’s transfer of expertise and assistance in modernizing the Malagasy military infrastructure indicates successful bilateral cooperationRead morePutin orders creation of new financial center based on Eastern ExchangeThe Russian leader noted that a national standard for public-private partnerships is also intended to facilitate the implementation of infrastructure projectsRead moreRussian expedition to keep working in Svalbard after ship’s seizureThe vessel is prohibited from leaving its current locationRead moreNew energy facilities to be built in Arctic — PutinThe new power generation facilities will include small nuclear power plantsRead moreFrench Foreign Ministry spreads false accusations against Russia — embassyRussian charge d'affaires Alexander Zezyulin expressed disappointment that the French Foreign Ministry has resorted to summoning the head of the Russian diplomatic mission in France on issues that have no bearing whatsoever on either Russia or FranceRead moreUK Parliament member dismisses claims of Russian threatLabor MP Diane Abbott pointed out that it is a NATO fiction to justify their complete capitulation to Donald Trump's demands for more military spendingRead moreCountries need to make stronger commitments to defending civil aircraft — ICAOThe International Civil Aviation Authority also added that the "risk of weapons targeting civilian planes grows worldwide"Read moreKiev’s use of expensive IRIS-T missiles against UAVs impractical — expert"One such missile costs about €400,000," Alexander Stepanov said Read moreLavrov plans to discuss Bucha topic with UN secretary-generalSergey Lavrov added that Russia always raises the question of Bucha at its news conferences on the sidelines of the UN General AssemblyRead moreBelgium realizes EU plans to rob it as well as Russia — GrushkoAlexander Grushko described plans to use Russian assets as robberyRead moreWestern investors’ support for Fyodorov to turn Ukraine into testing ground — expertVitaly Kiselev emphasized that Mikhail Fyodorov’s statements in foreign media about his desire to help the West create a "drone army" should be taken very seriouslyRead moreKiev loses some 1,330 troops along engagement line in past day — Russia’s top brassThe Russian troops has established control of the Kazachya Lopan settlement in the Kharkov Region and Svyatogorsk in the DPRRead moreRussia, North Korea to launch direct road link very soon — Transport MinistryAccording to the Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin, the launch of a direct road link between the two countries will streamline logistics, help increase bilateral trade and reduce transportation costs for businessesRead moreMiddle East’s biggest shipping hub at risk amid Hormuz blockade — FTThe port and free-trade zone alone is responsible for more than a fifth of the emirate’s GDPRead moreEnvoy says Russia won't soon forget Germany's unfriendly moves against itSergey Nechayev recalled that no other country in Western Europe had received as many benefits from closer ties and cooperation with RussiaRead moreLeipzig drone drama aims to distract Europeans from EU decline — Russian missionThe mission stressed that when Russia’s charge d’affaires was summoned to the European External Action Service over the Leipzig incident, EU authorities sponsoring Ukraine "were directly told of the terrorist nature of the Kiev regime"Read moreWest does not want agreements, has replaced diplomacy with sanctions — LavrovThe Russian foreign minister said that the West wants to dictateRead moreLawyers work on lawsuit against Norway over Russian ship seizure in Spitsbergen — ministerThe vessel is prohibited from leaving its current location until the Svalbard governor issues a decision on the matterRead moreSJ-100 to be certified next spring, deliveries to begin next year — ministerAccording to the Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov, a total of 28 SJ-100 planes are currently at various stages of productionRead moreRussia has will, resources to respond to EU over frozen assets — GrushkoRussian Deputy Foreign Minister said such actions would also undermine the EU's reputationRead morePutin to address Eastern Economic Forum’s plenary sessionRead moreNorwegian law enforcement made no contact with seized ship’s expedition membersThe vessel is prohibited from leaving its current location pending a relevant decision by the Governor of SvalbardRead moreAttempts to destabilize society take place in Russia ahead of parliamentary vote — LavrovAccording to the Russian foreign minister, the West makes no secret of itRead morePutin says Far East, Arctic demonstrating positive development trendsThe head of state noted that the regions' development rates exceeded the national average across a number of key indicatorsRead moreSituation with fuel in Russia and global oil demand: statements by NovakRussia continues to import gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel, the official notedRead morePress review: NATO excludes Russia from drone probes as Japan pursues remilitarizationTop stories from theRussian press on Wednesday, September 2ndRead morePutin addressing plenary session of Eastern Economic ForumIndonesian President Prabowo Subianto, Mongolian Prime Minister Nyam-Osoryn Uchral, Myanmar’s First Vice President Nyo Saw, and Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will also address the sessionRead moreContacts between Russia, US administration remain ongoing — PutinThe Russian president expressed hope that dialogue with Washington will lead to a positive outcomeRead more

Source: TASS English
RELATED NEWS

More Stories

All News
Russia

Arctic, Trans-Arctic corridor development project needs $11.5 bln in investments

• What happened: The Russian Arctic zone and Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor development project requires approximately $11.5 billion in investments, as announc...

Russia

SJ-100 delivery contracts fully booked for next three years — minister

• What happened: Contracts for the domestically produced SJ-100 aircraft are fully booked for the next three years, with over 40 aircraft under contract, as ann...

Russia

Russia-Arab summit may be held in 2027 if Mideast situation cools — presidential adviser

• What happened: A potential Russia-Arab summit is being considered for 2027, contingent on the normalization of the Middle East situation, as stated by Russian...

Russia

Trump congratulates Hegseth on ‘good job’ after deadly Iran wedding strike

• What happened: US President Donald Trump praised Secretary of War Pete Hegseth following American military strikes in Iran, which resulted in civilian casualt...

Russia

Mongolian PM says expanding cooperation with Russia, China one of country's priorities

• What happened: Mongolian Prime Minister Nyam-Osor Uchral announced at the Eastern Economic Forum that expanding cooperation with Russia and China is a priorit...

Russia

Talks on MC-21 deliveries underway with other airlines besides Aeroflot — minister

• What happened: Russian Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov announced that negotiations for the delivery of MC-21 aircraft are ongoing with several air...