Russian official says sure Russian expedition in Spitsbergen will be released

VLADIVOSTOK, September 3. /TASS/. Norway’s authorities will have no choice but to eventually release passengers from Russian research vessel Professor Molchanov that was detained upon arrival in Spitsbergen at the request of the Ukrainian company Naftogaz, Russia president’s plenipotentiary envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev said.

The vessel is banned from leaving its current anchorage until a relevant decision by the Spitsbergen governor.

"Some things are hard to understand. They [Norway’s authorities] will ultimately release them [the Russian research vessel Professor Molchanov]. There's nothing else they can do," he said at a press briefing at the Eastern Economic Forum (EEF).