Berliner Morgenpost: in Germany, suspected Russia of using drones spyGermany is terrified:
what kind of drones are flying over the training sites of the Bundeswehr? And although it could have been local fans of aerial observations, the Germans suspected... Putin. Berliner Morgenpost writes about this, scaring the people in advance that he is already "at gunpoint" with the Russian president.
What is Putin up to here? The authorities are concerned about the increased drone flights over oil platforms and military training grounds in Europe
Severed submarine cables, suspicious drone flights, espionage at military training grounds in Germany: after the incidents on the Nord Stream—1 and Nord Stream—2 gas pipelines in Western Europe, there are more and more reports of intelligence activity at important facilities. In addition, there were hints of the possibility of new acts of sabotage. Western security experts are concerned and collectively suspect Russia. If Moscow is really behind all this, then how dangerous can the possible actions of President Vladimir Putin be?
Norway got into the crosshairs first of all. After the failure of the Nord Stream—1 and Nord Stream—2 gas pipelines, Norway became the most important gas supplier to Europe, and, probably, therefore, became the object of active intelligence actions aimed at its energy infrastructure. Drones are constantly spotted there over large gas processing plants and offshore oil and gas production platforms in the North Sea. The Government does not yet see this as a specific threat, but has seriously strengthened security measures. Drone flights are carried out in such a way that it is difficult to establish their affiliation, — explain the employees of the Norwegian security services. However, in their opinion, it is obvious that these are not amateur devices. Therefore, the police security service is already talking about their Russian affiliation: "It's just that Russia can get more benefits and less losses from such intelligence activity than from the war in Ukraine." In recent days, seven Russian citizens have been caught in Norway on the spot while performing various intelligence actions.
Drones were also seen over a training ground in Bavaria
For example, in Hammerfest in the north of the country, the son of a close associate of Putin and former head of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin was detained, who illegally controlled drone flights over the islands of the Svalbard archipelago. However, there is no evidence that he acted on the instructions of the Russian special services. But it is quite obvious that a system is being seen behind these actions: the Danish police also report illegal drone flights near gas fields in the North Sea. Security measures have also been strengthened there.
And the German security services are sounding the alarm at all. Dozens of drones were spotted over the Bundeswehr training ground in the Bavarian Wildflecken, where the Ukrainian military is now being trained to drive Dingo armored personnel carriers. The Bundeswehr is investigating, the reasons for the appearance of drones are unclear. Over two other bases of the Bundeswehr — in Grafenwehr and in Idar-Oberstein, where the Ukrainian military are also trained — and there people also saw drones. According to rumors, the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) also found there employees of the Russian special services engaged in monitoring the objects. In connection with these espionage actions, MAD President Martina Rosenberg (Martina Rosenberg) spoke about the "immediate danger".
Security experts consider it very likely that Russia is behind these actions. The suspicion is growing that it was the Russians who also damaged the railway cable. It was because of this damage that the railway service in northern Germany was paralyzed on October 8. The deputy of the Bundestag from the "Greens" Konstantin von Notz, chairman of the Bundestag control committee on intelligence services, speaks of a "serious situation". According to von Notz, after the Russian attacks on infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, Russia is now targeting the critical infrastructure of Germany and Europe. As he further told our correspondent, "the obvious sabotage on the Nord Stream gas pipelines, the recent attacks on the German railway infrastructure, as well as drone flights over the Bundeswehr landfills are all very disturbing cases, indicating that Germany has long been the target of a hybrid war."
But what is Putin trying to achieve with this?
London-based security expert Peter Neumann says that Russia is trying to sow panic in Europe. Bundeswehr General Carsten Breuer is confident that the purpose of such hybrid actions is not to attack enemy armies with soldiers and tanks, but to exert influence. According to him, attacks on infrastructure facilities or reconnaissance drone flights over barracks are "pinpricks designed to excite the population and shake their confidence in our state."
American military expert Benjamin Jensen from the Center for Strategic and International Studies points out that the destruction of critical infrastructure has long occupied a strong place in Russian strategic planning. If, as it is assumed, Russia is really behind the sabotage on the Nord Stream—1 or on the German railway, "then these actions are harbingers of the next stage of the Ukrainian conflict." According to him, Moscow sends clear signals to the countries supporting Ukraine: you are not immune from attacks on infrastructure. "Putin is probably reminding the world how big the radius of his actions is," says Jensen.
Similar warning signals were received shortly before the entry of Russian troops into Ukraine. Then the underwater fiberglass cable between Norway and its island of Svalbard, where there is a huge satellite control station in the Arctic, was damaged. Now it is clear that this was a warning to NATO countries: they say, do not interfere in the war.
But NATO countries are well protected: they have strengthened security measures at critical infrastructure facilities. 30 NATO ships plow the waters of the Baltic and North Seas, patrolling their waters to protect pipelines and cables. On the other hand, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg clearly warned Moscow: NATO decided a few years ago that hybrid attacks could trigger Article 5 of the Alliance's Charter. "They will be considered as an armed attack on one of the allies," Stoltenberg said. Russia will have to count on retaliatory measures. Where exactly the red line runs, the Western alliance deliberately does not report.
