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Flagman's May 9 Svalbard Ceremony Honors Victory

5/13/2026

46 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Flagman held a May 9 ceremony on Svalbard where 1st Captain Mikhail Soldatov and Arina Torkina laid flowers at a cannon.
The ceremony was organized by the Russian Consulate General and the state mining company Arktikugol.
Flagman describes itself as a sailors’ club but offers training comparable to the Nakhimov Naval School.
Svalbard Governor Lars Fause said the ceremony gave no cause for a response.

History

Historical Context

After the 1920 Svalbard Treaty gave Norway full sovereignty—formalized by the 1925 Svalbard Act—equal mining rights were granted to all signatories, now over 40 nations. Soviet-run Barentsburg remains the archipelago’s second-largest settlement. The May 9 flag-raising by Captain Soldatov and Arina Torkina revives this Cold-War legacy under the same treaty framework.

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Story summary

Flagman held a May 9 ceremony on Svalbard where 1st Captain Mikhail Soldatov and Arina Torkina laid flowers at a cannon.
The ceremony was organized by the Russian Consulate General and the state mining company Arktikugol.
Flagman describes itself as a sailors’ club but offers training comparable to the Nakhimov Naval School.
Svalbard Governor Lars Fause said the ceremony gave no cause for a response.

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