In a provocative move, the Russian state-owned mining company Trust Arktikugol recently hoisted the Soviet flag in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Despite being part of Norway’s sovereign territory under international law, Svalbard—the Top of Norwegian Mountain—is witnessing this symbolic gesture from Russia.

On June 21, Ildar Neverov, the General Director of Trust Arktikugol, ascended Pyramiden’s summit and raised the Soviet Union flag.

In recent weeks, Arktikugol has proudly raised Soviet flags, one in Barentsburg and two in Pyramiden. The flags, each measuring 3 by 5 meters, are larger than any Norwegian flags on the archipelago, where Norway has full and absolute sovereignty.

Additionally, the Soviet slogan “Миру-мир!” (Peace to the World!) has been repainted in wooden letters above both Pyramiden and Barentsburg. The letters are painted white in Pyramiden and red in Barentsburg, with the restoration occurring in 2023.

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“The tradition has been revived and will live!” said the CEO of the Russian mining company, which is allowed to operate on Svalbard according to a declaration from 1920.

Arktikugol wrote on Vkontakte, a Russian online social media platform, that “within 4 hours, the trust employees, accompanied by tourist guests from France, climbed the mountain and fixed a flag measuring 5 by 3 meters.”

The post includes two photos, one of which is an old painting showing the same Soviet flag atop the mountain. Closer to Pyramiden, the coal-mining ghost town named after the mountain above, another Soviet flag is visible.

Russia’s Renewed Interest in Svalbard

Svalbard, Norway’s special economic zone, has just about 2,600 residents. For decades, Norwegians and Russians have coexisted on this archipelago, which is located roughly a thousand kilometers from the North Pole.

Pyramiden and Barentsburg are two settlements on Svalbard that highlight the region’s historical ties to Russia.

Pyramiden, a coal-mining ghost town named after the mountain above it, was once a model Soviet settlement. It boasted a heated swimming pool, school, canteen, and amenities like a petrol station, greenhouse, farm, kindergarten, hotel, and restaurant—designed to be self-sufficient. Barentsburg, on the other hand, is a small Russian mining community where coal mining still continues.

After Moscow ended coal mining operations in Pyramiden in 1998, the workers left hastily. According to ‘Visit Svalbard,’ Svalbard’s tourism agency, “The town was developed according to Soviet ideas of an ideal society.”

In recent years, Pyramiden has become a unique tourist attraction. It serves as an open-air museum that offers glimpses into life during the height of Soviet power.

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The town, accessible only by boat, helicopter, or snowmobile depending on the season, has attracted visitors despite its remote location. Plans are in place to draw even more tourists to this most northeastern Soviet town in the world.

However, according to ABC News, only two of the several dozen buildings in Pyramiden are currently in use: the hotel and a cultural center with an operational cinema. At the start of this year, only 12 workers, mainly hospitality and maintenance staff employed by Trust Arktikugol (the Russian state-owned coal mining company managing the land and operations), resided there.

Still, Russian authorities have ambitious plans to revitalize Pyramiden, including efforts to attract more tourists through direct flights from Russia and cruise ships. They have also expressed intentions to build a new science center in Pyramiden, inviting what Russia terms “friendly countries,” including China and India, to participate.

Norwegian Flag Removed

This spring, the return of the Soviet Union’s presence in Svalbard became evident in Barentsburg. In recent developments, the Russian settlements have raised a new Soviet flag in the port and atop the coal-loading crane.

Previously, the coal-loading crane in Pyramiden’s harbor was adorned with two flags: the Norwegian flag and the Russian tricolor.

The Norwegian flag has now been removed and replaced with a much larger Soviet flag. The Soviet flag now occupies the position once held by the Norwegian flag at the top of the coal-loading crane in Pyramiden’s harbor. Although the Russian tricolor remains to the right, it is less conspicuous compared to the prominent Soviet flag.

Meanwhile, despite Svalbard being Norwegian territory and one of the few areas with ongoing official contact between Norway and Russia, the Kremlin has labeled Norway an “unfriendly country.”

Changing Symbols 

Russian activities in the Svalbard archipelago are heightening tensions in the northernmost part of the world. Recently, these tensions have been on the rise. As Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine has increased, so too has its interest in Svalbard.

In its reports, ‘The Barents Observer,’ a Norwegian online newspaper, alleged that “Russia continues to push its Soviet-era politicized nostalgia in Svalbard.”

“The application of Soviet symbols in Barentsburg and Pyramiden is framed as a key part of Arktikugol’s development of tourism, while at the same time, it serves as a strategy to bolster Russian presence on Svalbard and evoke ideas of Soviet greatness and historical revanchism,” says Professor Kari Aga Myklebost from UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, in an interview with ‘The Barents Observer.’

Pyramiden remains a small Russian foothold on NATO soil. Ambitious plans to redevelop parts of the outpost while providing greater access to Kremlin allies like China have some Norwegians worried about foreign actors encroaching on Europe’s northern frontier.

Norway’s Reaction & International Implications

Norway, a NATO member, has largely refrained from reacting to these Soviet restoration acts. However, concerns are growing about Russian intentions in Svalbard, especially as the Arctic becomes increasingly strategically significant.

These developments are seen as part of a broader pattern of Russian provocations in Svalbard. As tensions between Russia and the West continue to escalate, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, Svalbard’s position as a potential strategic pressure point for Russia has come under scrutiny.

The situation in Svalbard underscores the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Arctic region, highlighting the delicate balance between historical agreements, national sovereignty, and international relations in this remote yet increasingly important part of the world.

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