Widerøe operates repatriation flight for stranded Russians from Svalbard

Widerøe operated a flight carrying Russian citizens out of Svalbard after roughly 69 of them were left stranded when Norwegian authorities detained a Russian ship at the port of Barentsburg on 2 September. The aircraft used for the journey was an Embraer E190, according to the source. A total of 71 people were on board the detained vessel, including 69 Russian nationals.

Norway detained the expedition ship Professor Molchanov after an application by Ukrainian energy company Naftogaz. A Norwegian court ordered the move, citing a Hague arbitration ruling that reportedly found Russia owes Naftogaz about $4.2 billion, or roughly €3.6 billion, over assets the company lost following the annexation of Crimea in 2014.

Svalbard has been part of Norway since the 1920 Svalbard Treaty, which grants signatory states economic activity and resource extraction rights. Russia still mines coal at Barentsburg, a long unprofitable operation that carries mainly symbolic value for Moscow. Russia has repeatedly accused Norway of militarizing the archipelago and obstructing its presence there, including through supply sanctions on Barentsburg.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Norway of piracy and state terrorism, the Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet reported. The Norwegian foreign ministry said it was looking after the affected Russians, who it said were in a difficult situation on Svalbard, and that it was fulfilling its international obligations.

The two sides had to work together to arrange the flight that brought the group back to Russia.