What is the Kremlin doing in the North Sea? Russian “ghost” ships are suspected of taking part in a vast espionage program, according to a joint investigation by Scandinavian media. The NRK (Norway), DR (Denmark), SVT (Sweden) and EPN (Finland) channels are broadcasting this Wednesday, April 19 the documentary “The Shadow War”, in which they quote several intelligence officials.
Concretely, Moscow is accused of scouting strategic sites in the North Sea, with a view to possible sabotage actions. Electric cables and wind farms would be particularly targeted. According to a Danish intelligence officer, quoted in the documentary and taken up by the BBC, the goal for Russia is to prepare for an escalation of the war in Ukraine. Sabotage would occur in the event of a total conflict with other European countries.
‘Unfounded’ accusations
The reaction of the Kremlin was not long in coming. “The media in these countries made a mistake in their investigation,” said Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for the Russian presidency. “They would rather accuse Russia again of baseless accusations.” He then recalled the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline, for which he called for “a transparent and impartial international investigation”. The pipeline was responsible for bringing Russian gas to Europe. The perpetrators of the sabotage, which occurred in September 2022, are still not known.
For their part, the Nordic televisions ensure that the intelligence intercepted Russian communications. The spy ships would have turned off their transmitters so as not to reveal their location. The documentary is mainly interested in the “Admiral Vladimirsky”, an oceanographic vessel for scientific purposes, which would in fact be responsible for spying on the area. A DR team approached it. Two armed soldiers wearing balaclavas then came out onto the deck to let them know they had been spotted. The Russian services would also use trawlers, cargo ships and yachts equipped with means of surveillance.
In total, Sweden estimates that 27 suspicious vessels have sailed in its waters or docked in some of its ports during the past five years. Norway has identified 50 Russian boats that have “had the opportunity to collect information clandestinely” over the past decade, according to NRK. The documentary is due to air in its entirety this Wednesday evening.