Russia has been accused of surveilling the North Sea wind farms and communications, according to new allegations. These details come from a joint investigation by public broadcasters in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
It alleges Russia has a fleet of vessels, disguised as fishing trawlers and research vessels in the North Sea. They carry underwater surveillance equipments and are key mapping sites for possible sabotage.
It is understood that U.K officials are aware of Russian vessels moving around U.K waters as part of the program. The first of a series of reports are set to broadcast today by news media in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
A Danish counter-intelligence officer claimed that the sabotage plans are being prepared in case of a full blown conflict with the West, whiles the Norwegian intelligence told the broadcasters that, the program is of high importance to Russia, and it is controlled directly from the Kremlin.
Moreover, a Russian communication has been intercepted and analyzed, which indicates so-called ghost ships sailing in the Nordic water which have turn off the transmitters so as not to reveal their locations.
The report focuses on a Russian vessel called the Admiral Vladirmirsky. It is an official Expedition Oceanic Ship or underwater research vessel, but reports allege that, it is in fact a spy ship.
Intelligence depict that the Russian vessel slows down when it reaches areas where there are wind farms and loiters. The vessel has sailed for a month with its transmitters turned off.
When a reporter approached the ship on a boat, he was confronted by a masked individual carrying an assault rifle in what appears to be a military gear.
The same ship was reportedly seen on the Scottish coast last year. It was spotted entering the Moray Firth on November 10, and seen about 30 nautical miles east of Lossiemouth, home to the Royal Air Force’s Maritime patrol Aircraft fleet, before heading slowly to the west.
It is believed that U.K officials are aware of Russia intent to undertake what is known as underwater mapping, including using boats that move around the waters of U.K.
In February, Dutch intelligence issued an unusual warning about activities that could indicate the preparation for sabotage of maritime infrastructures. The head of the country’s military intelligence said, a Russia ship has been detected near a wind farm in the North Sea and was mapping out sites.
“We saw in recent months Russian actors want to uncover how the energy system works in the North Sea. It is the first time we have seen this,” General Jans Swillens said.
The Role Of Reconnaissance in Security
Reconnaissance plays a very important role security, as countries recon activities to plan their security and military warfare.
Reconnaissance of sensitive site is not unusual and Western countries are likely to carry out similar activities against Russia. The intension is to have a series of options available, should the conflict escalate.
One option might be to damage communications or take down country’s power to cause chaos. As at now the evidence of sabotage is limited but intelligence gathering on the possibility of a sabotage of wind farms in the North Sea still holds.
The vessel has raised concern of a possibility of such vessels linked to an underwater data cable destruction incident in south Svalbard. Norwegian police believe “human activities” may be involved, but are yet to charge anyone.
Norwegian authorities sent back 15 Russian officials, accusing them of spying. It was the latest in the wave of expulsions across Europe since the 2022 Ukraine invasion.
In previous developments, Russia has been accused of a destruction in the Nord stream pipeline that connects the supply of gas to Europe, in the Baltic sea, but intelligence reports have suggested other possibilities, including pro-Ukrainian actors. Investigations are still ongoing.
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