Norway's Svalbard archipelago, a pawn on Russia's chessboard

Issued on: 07/05/2026 - FRANCE24

25:00 min From the show

Not far from the North Pole, in the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, lies a piece of Russia. In NATO member state Norway, two Russian villages, or "settlements" as Moscow calls them, have been active for decades. This frozen, hostile land at the ends of the Earth has caught Moscow's interest.

Since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, this Russian presence in Norway has become a cause for concern. Relations between Oslo and Moscow have worsened and despite European sanctions against these "settlements" in Svalbard, Moscow is holding its ground.

A few kilometres away, residents of the Norwegian town of Longyearbyen are wary of the slightest move on the Russian side.

With Europe ever more divided between East and West, Svalbard is strategic. Both sides know this gateway to the Arctic and its natural resources is crucial. And Russia intends to maintain its presence on European soil.

A report for Arte and FRANCE 24 by Gaël Mocaer