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EPISODE · May 18, 2026 · 27 MIN

Why Svalbard could be in Putin’s sights

from The Story

The Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard is home to a Russian settlement where signs are in cyrillic and inhabitants pay for their groceries in rubles. It’s also at the heart of the scramble between global powers for resources, so as the Arctic sea ice melts opening up the region, could Svalbard become the next geopolitical flashpoint?This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: http://thetimes.com/thestoryGuest: Matthew Campbell, foreign features editor, The Sunday Times.Host: Manveen Rana.Producers: Harry Stott and Edward Drummond.We want to hear from you - email: [email protected] more: Polar bears, spy stations and Lenin: life on the Norwegian island in Putin’s sightsClips: Forces News, Russia 1.Photo: Jack Hill/The Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 18, 2026

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Why Svalbard could be in Putin’s sights

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