Protesters met with force by Russian authorities in the Arctic (photos)

Five activists today attempted to climb the 'Prirazlomnaya', an oil platform operated by Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom in Russia's Pechora Sea to stop it from becoming the first to produce oil from the ice-filled waters of the Arctic.

The protest prompted a disproportionate use of force by the Russian Coast Guard, with crew members of Greenpeace's Arctic Sunrise reporting that a total of 11 warning shots were fired across the ship, and the Coast Guard has threatened to fire at the ship itself if it does not leave the area immediately.  

Two activists have been arrested after climbing the platform and are now in custody on the Coast Guard vessel. There are now no climbers remaining on the platform, but the Arctic Sunrise remains in the area.

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