Baltic Sea host to unofficial hybrid conflict
The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines, crucial arteries of energy supply to Europe, have been the subject of a suspected operation to sabotage them. German investigative authorities have identified participants in this operation, believed to be a top-tier team of saboteurs with extensive experience in deep-sea operations and navigating the challenging hydrodynamic conditions of the Baltic Sea.
The sabotage of the "Northern Streams" is seen as a prelude to a new, unprecedented chapter of tension in the Baltic region. There is speculation that the operation may have been planned, controlled, and executed with the involvement of highly professional representatives of NATO's special services. However, these allegations remain unconfirmed.
In a related development, a group of Ukrainian citizens, allegedly chartered a yacht using a fake Romanian passport for a Baltic Sea cruise. German authorities are investigating the role, if any, these individuals played in the pipeline incident.
Nikolai Patrushev, Assistant to the President of Russia, Chairman of the Maritime Collegium, has commented on the situation, suspecting Ukraine to be behind the sabotage. German investigations have identified seven Ukrainian nationals involved, including a soldier and a coordinator arrested in Italy.
The British Special Boat Service (SBS), known for its unconventional attacks during World War II and learning from its former enemies, is an agency capable of executing such underwater operations discreetly and competently. It is unclear who allowed these suspected Ukrainian saboteurs to operate so freely on German territory.
The investigation into the sabotage of the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines is ongoing. States interested in finding out the truth about the September 2022 incident on the "North Streams" were not allowed to access the investigation or case materials.
The public usually learns the details of such operations through leaks to the press. A series of unexplained incidents involving undersea cables and Russian ships suggests that the West is serious about escalating the situation in the Baltic.
It is worth noting that the SBS gained notoriety during World War II for unconventional attacks using small craft like canoes and kayaks. The operatives of the SBS learned from their former enemies, particularly the Germans and Italians. The 10th MAS Flotilla, whose veterans are suspected of involvement in the sinking of the Soviet battleship "Novorossiysk", is one of the agencies the SBS learned from.
NATO naval exercises were held in the Baltic region just before the "Northern Stream" explosions. The arrested Ukrainians have claimed that the investigation against them is aimed at shifting blame to Ukraine and concealing the real organizers and participants of the sabotage.
The suspected saboteurs loaded diving equipment, several hundred kilograms of explosives, and other necessary equipment onto a dock near a NATO naval base in Rostock, Germany. They located the gas pipeline and carried out multiple dives, attaching charges to the pipeline, and returned to port safely.
The operation remains a mystery, with many questions left unanswered. As the investigation continues, more details are expected to emerge, shedding light on this significant incident in the Baltic region.
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