A new Cold War in Svalbard?
Dynamics change due to the war in Ukraine
The Svalbard Archipelago was strategically important in the Second World War, both for its proximity to the Arctic convoy routes and as base for whether stations vital to planning D-Day. The cooperation between Russia and the Western Allies in the war was followed by the existence of a successful coexistence of East and West on Svalbard in the cold war. However, the dynamics of previously undramatic international relations on the archipelago are being threatened by the war between Ukraine and Russia and the increasing competition for both national security and exploitation of resources in the Arctic.
On 9th May 2023, the Russian consul of Barentsberg, Andrei Chemerilo, led a military style parade through the town, which is the home mainly to Russian and Ukrainian miners. The parade marks the victory of Russia over Germany in 1945 but had not previously been marked in such an ostentatious manner, bearing mind that in 1920 Norway was awarded sovereignty of the Svalbard Archipelago. In May 2024 three Soviet flags were hoisted in Barentsberg and Pyramiden replacing the Norwegian and Russian flags.
A Soviet style atmosphere
Under the terms of the Arctic treaty of 1920 Norwegian sovereignty of Svalbard was established but other countries, such as Russia were given the right to continue mining activities ich continued in the 1930s. In August 1941 in Operation Gauntlet the Islands were evacuated and the mines set on fire to stop Germany using the coal. The Germans however were still using weather bases in Svalbard and in the spring of 1942 Operation Fritham was landed to deny this advantage to Germany. The weather stations operated by the small British and Norwegian garrison for the rest of the war were a vital resource both for establishing ice conditions for the Arctic convoys and planning operations in Europe.
After the war mining resumed, with Russia establishing a coalmining settlement Barentsberg and Norway continuing mining at Longyearbyen.
In the Cold War and after the breakup of the Soviet Union the two settlements lived together peacefully, if not convivially. They are supplied by their own countries and there is no road between Barentsberg and Longyearbyen. making communication difficult except by sea and snow mobile. There has however been a history of official contact through sports and cultural exchanges throughout the Cold War and later. Although Svalbard is under Norwegian, a NATO country’s sovereignty, Barentsberg is served by a Russian Consulate. Barentsberg developed as a typical Russian Mining town with austere barrack like buildings and a large statue of Lenin. On a visit in 2016 I still found it to have a distinctly Soviet style atmosphere as it is very much controlled by Arktikugol the Russian mining company, it could be said that it is more Russian than Russia. The decline of extractive industries has resulted in both towns examining closely a new stream of income, that of tourism.
"...It's like nothing happened"
Many of the Ukrainians living and working in Barentsberg were from the mining Donbas region of Ukraine but the war between Russia and Ukraine has had a significant effect on the community at Barentsberg, with many Ukrainians leaving the settlement. There have been tensions in the town, with Timofey Rogozhin, former head of the tourist arm of Arktikugol claiming to the Barents Observer that residents were told not to discuss the war and not to post opinions about it on Social media. Russian tour guide and historian Natalia Maksimishina admits “Opinions are polarised”. Julia Lytvyona, a former resident, speaking to television station France 24, commented on the success of Arktikugol in suppressing negative comments : “People just shut up, work and live their lives like nothing happened”.
Many see the emphasis on Soviet History and symbols as a way of boosting ideas of Russian supremacy and maintaining a noticeable presence in the archipelago which is once more strategically important in an era of rapid climatic change and shifting alliances . Professor Kari Aga Myklebost of the Arctic University of Norway explains that “Russia’s self-perception as a great power in world politics very much relies on its Arctic territories.”
The Svalbard archipelago, strategically important in the Second world War is now becoming a focus of rising tensions as Russia seeks to demonstrate its power in its Arctic outpost.
About The Author - Dr Linda Parker
After teaching History for twenty or so years Linda decided to change course and enjoyed studied for her PhD at Birmingham University. She is now an independent scholar and author. Her main writing focus is on army chaplaincy in both world wars, and her main historical interests lie in 20th century military, social and religious history but she also has a keen interest in the history of polar exploration.
Linda is a co-founder of the British Modern Military History Society and is a member of the Royal Historical Society, the Western Front Association, the American Commission for Military History and the Society for Military History. She is a trustee of the Toc H movement and convenor of Toc H Wessex.
