"Activists condemn refusal to allow Arctic Sunrise icebreaker entry to Northern Sea Route as attempt to stifle peaceful protest."

"Russia has blocked a Greenpeace ship from entering Arctic waters where the environmentalist group was planning to protest against oil exploration activities by Rosneft and Exxon Mobil, the group has said.

Russian authorities had denied the icebreaker Arctic Sunrise entry to the Northern Sea Route, citing questions over the vessel's ice strengthening, Greenpeace said in a statement.

It said the Arctic Sunrise has a higher ice classification than many of the more than 400 vessels that have been granted access to the northern sea route this year.

'This is a thinly veiled attempt to stifle peaceful protest and keep international attention away from Arctic oil exploration in Russia,' Greenpeace campaigner Christy Ferguson said."

The Associated Press had the story August 21, 2013. [2]