Norway warns of threat of Russian sabotage at energy facilities
Norwegian flag (Getty Images)
Norwegian energy facilities are at risk of potential sabotage that Russia could carry out at any moment, according to the country's counterintelligence agency. Other European nations are also warning of the dangers, citing Reuters.
At a closed-door meeting organized by Norway's PST counterintelligence service, representatives from Norway, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland discussed the risks of espionage and sabotage by Russia.
Beate Gangås, head of Norwegian counterintelligence, emphasized that Russia poses a key threat to Norway's energy sector.
"When we are talking about sabotage today, we are talking about Russia," she said.
Norwegian security services have previously highlighted the threat of possible attacks on the country's oil sector.
During the meeting, security services from seven European countries also warned Norway about the threat Russia poses to its critical energy infrastructure.
Sinan Selen, Vice President of Germany's Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, noted that the threat concerns not only Norway, which is a key energy supplier in the region, but also all of Europe.
Russian sabotage in Norway
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the activity of Russian intelligence services and potential threats to European critical infrastructure, particularly in the energy sector, have significantly increased. During this period, Norwegian security services regularly recorded cases of suspicious activity by Russia, including intelligence gathering and potential sabotage attempts on oil and gas facilities.
Norwegian officials have repeatedly warned of the high risk of Russian sabotage, which could have serious consequences for Europe's energy supply.
The incident involving the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines in September 2022 was one of the most high-profile examples of Russian sabotage in Europe. Although Norway was not directly affected by these events, they significantly heightened security concerns. Norwegian intelligence services were involved in the investigation of the incident.
Due to fears of Russian sabotage, Norway has introduced new restrictions on the entry of Russians. The country has also increased its defense spending due to the likelihood of Russian sabotage.
