Norwegian ambassador summoned to the Russian FM over the seizure of the vessel "Professor Molchanov"

The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned the Norwegian ambassador to Moscow, Heidi Olufsen, on Tuesday following the seizure of a scientific vessel from her country by Scandinavian authorities the previous day.

"A strong protest was lodged with the ambassador regarding the actions taken by Norwegian authorities—specifically the detention on September 2 of the Russian scientific research vessel "Professor Molchanov", which was located in the port of the Russian settlement of Barentsburg in the Spitsbergen (Svalbard) archipelago," the ministry's statement read.

 Norwegian authorities seized the Russian research vessel Professor Molchanov in Svalbard at the request of Ukrainian company Naftogaz. The vessel is prohibited from leaving its current location pending a relevant decision by the governor of Svalbard. Chekunkov said a creative group of artists and sculptors led by Alexander Ponomarev had arrived in Svalbard.