Latest News

Norway's spy chief sees Russia most likely to attempt sabotage

The head of Norway's foreign intelligence service thinks Russia has actually become more likely to try and sabotage its facilities, such as oil and gas, than a year ago as it becomes bolder in countering Western support for Ukraine.

The threat level has changed, Vice Admiral Nils Andreas Stensoenes, head of the Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS),. told Reuters.

Our company believe sabotage is most likely, and we see acts of. sabotage taking place in Europe now which suggest that they (the. Russians) have actually moved a bit on that scale.

Russia turns down such accusations as Western scaremongering. Its embassy in Oslo was not right away offered for comment.

Previously this year, Norway's intelligence firms assessed. that Russia may find it prudent to perform acts of sabotage,. with petroleum the prime target, while in 2015 they evaluated. that unlikely.

Norway is Europe's largest gas provider and a major crude. oil exporter.

Stensoenes, whose firm is responsible for collecting. intelligence abroad and supporting Norway's military, did not. offer specifics about Russian hazards in a short interview on. the sidelines of an energy conference in the city of Stavanger.

But he said President Vladimir Putin's nation had ended up being. basically a pariah state for the West, meaning it had. bit to lose with more dangerous steps, though it would beware. not to trigger the NATO alliance's cumulative defence stipulation.

HUGE UNDERSEA INFRASTRUCTURE

After the Nord Stream pipelines undermine in September 2022,. Norway released its navy to protect its North Sea oil and gas. platforms, with assistance from NATO allies.

Still, the Norwegian undersea facilities is so vast,. including gas pipelines extending some 9,000 km (5,590. miles), it is challenging to safeguard. Norway also has more than 90. offshore oil and gas fields.

Moscow has actually repeatedly complained that Germany, in charge of. the Nord Stream investigation, has not been doing enough to. probe the surges, which burst 2 pipelines constructed to. bring Russian gas to Europe under the Baltic Sea.

Nobody has actually claimed obligation for the blasts which. took place seven months after Russia sent 10s of countless. troops into Ukraine. Moscow says it is not accountable for the. blast.

German district attorneys last month said they had actually issued an arrest. warrant for a Ukrainian diving trainer in Poland in. connection with the attacks. Kyiv has rejected participation.

(source: Reuters)