An Mi-8 MTV1 belonging to the Russian coal mining company Arktikugol photographed at the Barentsburg hangar on 6 October 2010
The hangar and its frozen surroundings can be seen via space photo here:
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Barentsburg is the second largest settlement on Svalbard with about 500 inhabitants mostly Russian and Ukrainian. The Russian-owned coal mining company Arktikugol has been mining coal there since 1932. During the Cold War Barentsburg was a hotbed of activity as the Russians attempted to expand their control over the islands.
Although Svalbard is under Norwegian sovereignty the unique Spitsbergen Treaty of 1920 allows citizens of signatory countries equal rights to exploit natural resources. Currently Russia is the only country to maintain such a presence. Russia maintains a consulate in Barentsburg which is the northernmost diplomatic mission of any kind in the world.
Barentsburg and its 500 residents.
YBB
