Russia may be preparing sabotage in the North Sea

The intelligence of the Netherlands believes that Russian special services are preparing a series of sabotage in Dutch territorial waters. This is reported by Reuters. Sabotage, according to intelligence officers, may be aimed at the energy infrastructure of the Netherlands in the North Sea.

As the head of intelligence, Jan Swillens, said, a Russian ship was spotted in the area of ​​the energy park with wind power plants, making a map of wind turbines. Ships of the coast guard of the Netherlands took the Russian ship out of the North Sea.

Swillens pointed out that the Russian forces have shown increased interest in wind power plants in the Netherlands in recent months. Such a surge of interest in them is observed for the first time. According to intelligence, this may indicate preparation for sabotage, the objects of which may be wind turbines, gas pipelines and Internet cables into the sea.

On February 18, the authorities of the Netherlands announced that they would reduce the number of Russian diplomats in the Russian embassy in The Hague and would need to close the Russian trade representative office in Amsterdam. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the country, Wopke Hoekstra, believes that Russia continues to try to introduce agents of its intelligence in the Netherlands under diplomatic cover.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia told RIA Novosti that Moscow will respond to the decision of the Netherlands to reduce the number of Russian diplomats.

• Last spring, the Netherlands announced the expulsion of 17 Russian diplomats on suspicion of intelligence work. Similar decisions were then taken by Belgium, Ireland and the Czech Republic. After the expulsion, 58 accredited Russian diplomats remained in the Netherlands at that time.