Media: Russia possibly preparing to sabotage wind turbines, gas pipes, power cables in Nordic countries
Russia may be preparing to sabotage wind farms, gas pipelines, and power and internet cables in the waters around Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden, the Danish Broadcasting Corporation reported on April 19.
According to intelligence services and experts cited in the joint investigation by Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish media, civilian and military Russian ships are mapping offshore wind farms, gas pipelines, and power and internet cables in the waters around Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden.
Intercepted radio communications from the Russian navy revealed the presence of "ghost ships" in Nordic waters, including the Russian naval vessel the "Admiral Vladimirsky," which is officially used for marine research.
However, according to the Danish Broadcasting Corporation, the naval vessel is also believed to be involved in intelligence work, and thanks to intercepted radio communications, the investigative team was able to track the Admiral Vladimirsky north of Denmark's Sjællands Odde peninsula.
A Danish Broadcasting Corporation journalist and photographer approached the ship in their own boat, and "several men with covered faces stepped forward on deck, including a uniformed man wearing a bulletproof vest armed with a Russian military rifle."
The intel that Russia is allegedly collecting could potentially enable the country to launch attacks on energy and communication infrastructure in the event of what it views as a larger conflict with the West. Such attacks would cause issues in various sectors not only in the Nordics but also in other parts of Europe, Danish Broadcasting Corporation wrote.
Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden have all provided considerable military and financial aid to Ukraine in Russia's all-out war against the country.
On April 13, Norway expelled 15 Russian intelligence officers who were employees of the Russian embassy and had allegedly been "engaging in activities that are not compatible with their diplomatic status."
