Pyramiden, Russia’s Northern Outpost

I show this simply because it is a matter of interest, to me, and I hope to you. I had no prior knowledge there was a Russian presence on Spitsbergen (preferentially spelled for me as Spitzbergen), the main island of the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean, more or less due north of Norway.

Norway has sovereignty over Svalbard but the island group was established as a free economic zone and demilitarized zone by a 1920 treaty. Hence the presence of a working Russian coal mine and thriving community there.

The excellently presented story I feature below, though laced with western propaganda and snidey (synonym for ‘unprincipled’) remarks, comes from Australia ABC News online web site. It really is worth reading/watching (it has a lot of image/video content) for both its historical and current reveals. It covers the now closed Soviet Russia era coal mine at Pyramiden and also the 2024 Victory Day celebrations – held on the island for the first time (according to the story). Some hints are given that the Pyramiden operation may be reawakening. Whether there is any truth in that rumour I do not know.

I guess all of this recent activity regarding that out-of-the-way venue has something to do with testing-of-the-waters viv-a-vis the current tensions between Russia-NATO-Norway.

Interesting to watch – from a distance.

**The ghosts of the Arctic are stirring back to life** – ABC News online – July 25, 2024

Hopefully this is viewable where you are.

Incidentally, if this has in any way piqued your interest, you may want to start your research from this fine history – Pyramid of Svalbard – You’ll need a translator unless you are using the Yandex browser.

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Pyramiden, Russia’s Northern Outpost

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