Sovjets flagg vaier over Svalbard - The Barents Observer

 

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The Soviet flag on the mountain peak of Pyramiden was hoisted on on June 21. The flag is 5 by 3 meters and larger than any Norwegian flags on the archipelago where Norway has the full and absolute sovereignty. Photo from Vkontakte / Arktikugol

Moscow hoists Soviet flags at Svalbard

“The tradition has been revived and will live!” Russia's state-owned company Arktikugol has over the last few weeks proudly hoisted Soviet flags in both Pyramiden and Barentsburg.

By

Thomas Nilsen

June 30, 2024

Russia continues to push its Soviet era politicized nostalgia at Svalbard. The Barents Observer has this week seen three large Soviet flags; one in Barentsburg and two in Pyramiden.

There could be more.

Also the Soviet-slogan Миру-мир! (Peace to the World!) made in wooden letters above both Pyramiden and Barentsburg have got a refresh. White painted in Pyramiden and red-colored above Barentsburg. The restoration happened in 2023. 

It was last weekend General Director of Trust Arktikugol, Ildar Neverov, climbed the summit of Pyramiden and hoisted the flag of the Soviet Union. 

The plain red flag with a gold hammer crossed with a sickle under a gold-bordered red star can been seen in binoculars from far distance when sailing Billefjorden, the northeast arm of Isfjorden at Svalbard. 

Trust Arktikugol writes on Vkontakte that it took Ildar Neverov four hours to climb the mountain above Pyramiden to hoist the Soviet flag. He was accompanied by employees of the mining company and visiting tourists. The blog post adds two photos of an old painting from way back showing the same Soviet flag on the top. 

“The tradition has been revived and will live!, Ildar Neverov makes clear in the post on Vkontakte. 

Closer to Pyramiden, the coal-mining ghost town named after the mountain above, another Soviet flag becomes visible. 

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