Russia will give a mirror response to Norway for the detention of the research vessel Professor Molchanov. The vessel and crew will return to Russia safe and sound. This statement was made in a conversation with NEWS.ru by Andrei Kolesnik, a member of the State Duma Defense Committee.

The parliamentarian described what happened as a provocative seizure. In his opinion, the Norwegian side’s actions are distancing the prospect of peace agreements between Moscow and Kyiv.

The NEWS.ru interlocutor pointed out that Norway should remember the principle of a mirror response when detaining Russian vessels. The provocative nature of the situation, according to Kolesnik, is also connected with the fact that the vessel was arrested on a claim by the Ukrainian company Naftogaz.

The deputy added that such steps by Norway make the prospect of peace agreements on Ukraine even more vague. In his view, everything is arranged so that these agreements do not take place.

“This vessel from Murmansk constantly sails to Spitsbergen. It has every right to be there. Although under the 1920 treaty the archipelago is under Norwegian sovereignty, everyone has the right to conduct scientific research there. By the way, under the agreement we extract coal there. This is a free demilitarized zone. Our vessel with its crew will be returned to Russia safe and sound. Let them not think they can do whatever they want and it will go unanswered,” Kolesnik explained.

Earlier, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District Yury Trutnev called the arrest of the vessel a violation of international law. He stressed the need to comply with the Svalbard Treaty.

https://news.mail.ru/politics/72222866/