Russia on Thursday demanded the “immediate release” of a vessel seized by Norwegian authorities in the Arctic as Ukraine’s state energy company Naftogaz seeks to recover billions of dollars in compensation for assets taken by Moscow after its illegal annexation of Crimea. The Professor Molchanov was seized Wednesday in Svalbard, a Norwegian Arctic archipelago, under an Aug. 31 court order, according to the territory’s governor.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The action is tied to Naftogaz’s effort to enforce a $4.2 billion arbitration award against Russia over assets seized following Moscow’s 2014 annexation of Crimea. A Hague-based arbitration tribunal ruled in Naftogaz’s favor in 2023, and Norway recognizes the award. The Professor Molchanov, a research vessel also used for expedition cruises, is being held at the quay in Barentsburg, a Russian-operated mining settlement in Svalbard, pending a further decision by the governor or Norwegian courts. Russia’s Foreign Ministry summoned Norwegian Ambassador Heidi Olufsen on Thursday and protested the seizure, accusing Oslo of restricting what Moscow calls its legitimate presence on the archipelago. The Russian Embassy in Norway also said it would appeal the decision. “We demand the immediate release of the vessel and that the safety of the passengers and crew be ensured,” the embassy said. Norwegian authorities rejected Moscow’s portrayal of the move as politically motivated, saying the seizure was the enforcement of a court ruling rather than a government action against Russia.