Greenpeace Activists Arrested in Arctic Oil Protest; Russia Launches Piracy Probe
Greenpeace has condemned Russia's actions after its activists were arrested while protesting Arctic oil exploration. The environmental group demands the immediate release of the 'Arctic 30', as the activists are known. Russia, however, has opened a criminal probe into suspected piracy, with the activists facing up to 15 years in jail.
The incident began when Greenpeace activists attempted to scale a Gazprom platform in the Barents Sea. During the protest, some activists slipped into the freezing water and were rescued by the Russian coastguard. The Dutch-flagged Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise was subsequently seized and towed to Murmansk. Greenpeace argues that energy firms lack plans to deal with potential oil spills in the Arctic environment, raising concerns about the region's growing interest from energy producers due to rising temperatures and potential oil and gas reserves.
Russia's Investigative Committee launched a criminal probe for piracy, alleging that the activists acted as an organized group. However, Greenpeace maintains that the raid was illegal, as the Arctic Sunrise was in international waters at the time. The activists were told to move onshore from their seized icebreaker and expected to be taken to Murmansk. Among the 'Arctic 30', four are Russian nationals, while the rest are foreign nationals.
The fate of the 'Arctic 30' activists remains uncertain as the investigation into suspected piracy continues. Greenpeace stands by its activists, condemning Russia's actions and demanding their immediate release. The incident has highlighted ongoing concerns about energy exploration in the Arctic and the potential environmental risks involved.
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