Norway Seizes Russian Ship to Enforce $4.2Bln Claim by Ukraine’s Naftogaz

By Reuters Sep. 3, 2026 The Professor Molchanov. Naftogaz Norway has seized a Russian ship in the Arctic to enforce a $4.2 billion compensation claim won by Ukrainian energy firm Naftogaz over Moscow's seizure of its assets following the 2014 annexation of Crimea, officials said late on Wednesday. The vessel, the Professor Molchanov, was seized off the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard after a 24-hour standoff with the Norwegian Coast Guard, according to Covington, the U.S. law firm representing Naftogaz. Russian state news agency TASS quoted a Foreign Ministry spokesperson as saying the seizure of the ship amounts to an act of "piracy." Naftogaz has been pursuing legal action against Russia since 2016 to seek compensation for the expropriation of its property in Crimea. A tribunal in The Hague in April 2023 ordered Russia to pay Naftogaz $4.2 billion plus interest and legal costs. "Russia cannot evade responsibility simply by refusing to comply with an international arbitral award," Naftogaz Acting CEO Sergii Fedorenko said. Covington, the law firm, said it had been tracking the Professor Molchanov, a Russian-owned vessel that is used for commercial cruises, for months. Anticipating the ship's arrival in Svalbard en route to Barentsburg, a Russian mining settlement, Naftogaz's lawyers applied to a Norwegian court for the vessel to be arrested there and subject to a compulsory sale. The application was approved by the Nord-Troms and Senja District Court on Monday. In its ruling, it required the governor of Svalbard to enforce the order, supervise the vessel and ensure that it is not moved. The governor's office issued a statement confirming that the ship had been seized and would be held on Svalbard. 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. "We will continue to pursue Russian assets around the world until the compensation awarded to Naftogaz and other Naftogaz Group companies is paid," the Ukrainian company said. Read more about: Norway , Ukraine Sign up for our free weekly newsletter Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy We sent a confirmation to your email. Please confirm your subscription. A Message from The Moscow Times: Dear readers, We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia. We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help. Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact. By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us. Once Monthly Annual Continue Not ready to support today? Remind me later. × Remind me next month Remind me Thank you! Your reminder is set. We will send you one reminder email a month from now. For details on the personal data we collect and how it is used, please see our Privacy Policy. Read more Japan Protests Russia Move to Drop Peace Talks Over Ukraine Analysts say the lack of progress helped free Tokyo to take tougher action against Russia than in the past, when chances for a resolution appeared stronger... Russian Forces Disperse Ukraine Protesters With Gunfire Kherson, a city of almost 300,000 people before the war, was the first major Ukrainian city to fall to Russian forces. Russia Says Has Again Fired Hypersonic Missiles in Ukraine The Defense Ministry said the strike destroyed a fuel storage site, killing over 100 members of Ukrainian special forces and "foreign mercenaries." Poroshenko Says Ukraine Has Fulfilled Minsk Agreements Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced on Monday that Kiev has fully implemented the Minsk agreements, the RBC news agency reported. The Ukrainian...