Norwegian authorities helped repatriate 69 Russian passengers and several crew members from Svalbard after the cruise ship Professor Molchanov was detained in Barentsburg. The travellers were flown out of the Arctic archipelago and returned to Russia through northern Norway, while the vessel remained held under a court order linked to Ukraine’s Naftogaz dispute. The operation eased an immediate logistical problem without affecting the ship’s legal status.
The repatriation was completed on 8 September, with transport routed through Kirkenes or via a wider northern Norway connection, depending on the report. Russian officials later described the vessel as being in good condition and confirmed that the passengers had already gone home. The detention stems from a Norwegian court decision taken at Naftogaz’s request in connection with a multi-billion-dollar arbitration claim over Russian assets lost in Crimea.
The ship remained in Barentsburg as the legal process continued, leaving the case centred on the separate handling of the stranded travellers and the ongoing dispute over the vessel itself. Accessible reporting confirmed the repatriation operation and the Norwegian logistical role, but not the airline used on the outbound flight.