Norway has refused to allow goods destined for Russia’s Spitsbergen settlements to pass through the Sturskug checkpoint, despite Russia’s request for an exemption from sanctions.
This was announced by Norwegian public broadcaster NRK on Tuesday, citing comments from the country’s foreign ministry.
“A specific request for permission to transport the cargo has been rejected,” the Norwegian Foreign Policy Agency said in a statement.
According to the broadcaster, the application “for permission to transport goods to the Russian miners’ colony of Spitsbergen in Barentsburg” was submitted to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry on behalf of the Arktikugol trust in Russia.
Cargoes to the Russian settlements of Spitsbergen are usually transported by truck from Murmansk (Russia) to Tromsø (Norway) via the single Sturskug checkpoint on the Russian-Norwegian border, and then by sea to Barentsburg.
The village is home to around 500 people, including miners working in the mines of the Russian Arktikugol trust.
Source: The Delfi
