Norway seized a state-owned Russian vessel in the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard following a Ukrainian lawsuit regarding Crimean assets. The governor of Svalbard seized the Professor Molchanov research vessel in Barentsburg, a Russian settlement, as part of a legal action by Ukrainian state company Naftogaz to recover assets expropriated by Moscow in 2014. This action stems from a 2023 tribunal in The Hague, which ordered Russia to pay $4.22 billion to Naftogaz.

Alexey Chekunkov, Russia’s Arctic development minister, condemned the seizure as "legal nihilism," while the Norwegian justice ministry stated the country was merely enforcing the court decision. The vessel will remain in Barentsburg, and the governor pledged to care for the crew. Naftogaz praised the move, reiterating that Russia cannot evade responsibility.

The Professor Molchanov had transported passengers between Murmansk and Barentsburg, allowing Russian travelers to avoid Schengen visa requirements in Tromsø. Western diplomats view Svalbard's unique status as a potential flashpoint in Russia-NATO relations, with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre affirming it falls under full NATO protection.