The flexing of military might near the Gazprom Neft-operated platform has become something of an annual tradition since September 2013 when a group of Greenpeace activists approached the platform on their vessel Arctic Sunrise to protest against Arctic drilling.

In response, Russia’s Coast Guard boarded Arctic Sunrise, detaining all 30 people on board. The activists were charged with “piracy” and “hooliganism” and jailed, before being released.

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