Latest news with #sabotage
Russia Today
2 hours ago
- General
- Russia Today
Passenger train derails after bridge collapse in Russia: Live updates
A bridge overpass collapsed onto railway tracks, causing a passenger train to derail in the western Russian region of Bryansk on Sunday. First responders are working to rescue people from the wreckage, with dozens reportedly injured. Multiple Telegram channels have claimed that the bridge was likely brought down by an act of sabotage.
ABC News
5 hours ago
- Business
- ABC News
Inside the mission to stop Putin's 'ghost ships' wreaking havoc on the seas
On Christmas Day last year, Finland and Estonia got an unwanted shock. A power line that ran along the seabed between the two countries was damaged, slashing electricity flow by two thirds. The next day, Finnish police boarded and seized a ship carrying Russian oil bound for Turkey on suspicion of cutting the line along with four nearby internet cables. The Cook Islands-registered ship, named the Eagle S, was later found to have dragged its anchor along the ocean floor for more than 100 kilometres. European Union leaders labelled it sabotage and levelled blame at Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" or "ghost ships" which Moscow uses to avoid Western sanctions imposed on its cargo exports. The incident has sprung NATO allies into action, with joint forces from 11 member nations signing up to tackle sabotage at sea. The ABC gained rare access to the mission and headed out with Dutch and Belgian crews on the Baltic Sea off the coast of Lithuania — a former Soviet country which is now a key Western ally. Taking off from London before dawn, it took two flights and all day to reach the small port city of Klaipeda where we met the convoy. Undersea cables are a vital part of global infrastructure, carrying electricity and data between countries and continents. There are hundreds of them around the world. Commander Erik Kockx has been charged with overseeing this operation in the Baltic Sea. "There have been some incidents with pipelines and cables. We are here to prevent that from happening again," he told the ABC. "The consequences of cutting an underwater sea cable, first of all, it's very expensive to repair it, secondly if it's an energy or data cable, you cut people off from energy or information." Since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Finland and Sweden joined NATO, making Russia the only country bordering the Baltic Sea without membership of the security alliance. Since then, multiple cables have been cut or damaged. "Anybody who has any intentions of inflicting damage or harm to any infrastructure in the Baltic Sea region should be aware that it will be observed, it will be monitored, it will be reported, and it will not remain without consequence," Commander Kockx said. Russia's second-largest city and port of St Petersburg is the country's main access point to the Baltic Sea's critical shipping corridor. Further south and wedged between Lithuania and Poland, is the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, which also hosts strategic port capacity but more crucially is home to a large military build-up of Kremlin forces. The NATO missions are designed to be a deterrent, with a bigger military presence on the surface and eyes underwater inspecting for sabotage. Small underwater drones, remotely operated vehicles and divers are being sent down to build a map of the seabed. Merte Peeters is the commanding officer of the Dutch ship, the Snellius, which is the lead vessel in the mission. "I think it's a two-legged solution, one we show people who basically aren't paying attention sailing around the Baltic, hey someone's looking at you, you are being noticed," he said. "And to the other countries in the vicinity you show that we are present." Most of the accusations of sabotage involve a ship dragging its anchor along the seabed for long distances, in some cases hundreds of kilometres. Two lines were severed within 24 hours of each other in the month before the Christmas Day incident. The Arelion cable between the Swedish island of Gotland and Lithuania was severed and then the C-Lion 1 cable was damaged between the Finnish capital, Helsinki, and the German port of Rostock. A Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3, is suspected of dragging its anchor over both the cables in a separate act of Russian sabotage. In October 2023, another Chinese ship, the Newnew Polar Bear, was identified as the main suspect for rupturing a gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia. The Chinese government admitted the ship was at fault but rejected the suggestion it was intentional. "If I would drop my anchor for this vessel, I would notice, of course," Commanding Officer Peeters said. The Yi Peng 3 and the Eagle S are both suspected Russian ghost ships which have become a pivotal tool in Moscow continuing oil exports in defiance of Western sanctions. By mid-2024, this clandestine armada was responsible for shipping more than 70 per cent of Russia's oil and its by-products. The European Union last month slapped more sanctions on the covert ships and increased the number of banned vessels to 342, although some experts predict the fleet consists of more than 700. Continuing oil exports through undercover means has been critical to keeping Russia's economy afloat and funding its war efforts in Ukraine. Some estimates predict Moscow has spent more than $15 billion building up the fleet, which are often old and rundown ships, which sail without insurance and flags, allowing them to evade detection and sanctions. They also "go dark" by disabling their tracking transponders, making it difficult for authorities to follow their movements. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the use of shadow ships and rejected claims it was responsible for damaging undersea cables in the Baltic. With investigations ongoing, NATO isn't keen to point fingers or inflame tensions but some countries in the region including Estonia, Finland and Germany, have blamed Russia's shadow fleet. But what started as covert shipments to prop up an ailing economy has morphed into a so-called "hybrid war" or "shadow conflict", which are actions taken to destabilise democracies and cause chaos and fear. On another vessel in the NATO mission, Commanding Officer of Belgian ship, Lobelia, Gill Priem tells the ABC his crew have adapted to battle this new type of conflict. "NATO has to adapt to the evolving geopolitical situation in the world," he said. "Since the increased presence of NATO in this region ... we did not have any accidents occurring in this particular region." The alleged acts of sabotage fall short of all-out military action but force countries to react and beef up security measures. While the mission until now has been focused on protecting the hundreds of kilometres of critical cables crisscrossing the seabed, Russia last month upped the stakes. When a suspected Russian shadow ship, named the Jaguar, and under sanction by British authorities, entered Estonian waters, the navy attempted to stop it. The crew on board refused and then the Estonian warship was then met with a Russian fighter jet, which flew into NATO airspace for close to a minute. "They entered the NATO airspace, this is serious," Lithuania's Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys told the ABC. "They escalated in the military way, from now on, we cannot say that it is civilian activities. "They were showing their intent to use this force." It was the first time Russia has shown support for an alleged shadow ship. "This reckless use of hundreds of vessels for the purpose to fuel the war machine of Russia, it put us in an explosive mix, and we have to control all of it," he said. "We see how one authoritarian regime wants to avoid the sanctions and is just exploiting all the weak parts of it." The minister, who's been highly critical of the West's response to Russian aggression, has no doubt of Moscow's intentions in the region. "Russia is preparing itself for long-term confrontation and conflict with the West," he said. "If we are weak, if we are not resilient and if we are not resolute, it means we are increasing the opportunities for Russia to use the capabilities for their intent." Intent and sabotage combined make an explosive mix which is sparking fears of a broader European conflict.
The Independent
3 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Nordic nations embrace total defense as the risk of sabotage and war rises
In 1944, Norwegian resistance fighters in the town of Kongsberg blew up a factory making cannons for occupying Nazi German forces during World War II. More than 80 years later, the municipality could once again be a target for sabotage and is preparing for war. The local authorities have dusted off Cold War-era bomb shelters, installed a new satellite communications system and are working with the military on plans to help a deployment of Western forces in case of conflict. 'The lesson we learned from Ukraine is that everybody pitched in,' said Odd John Resser, Kongsberg's Emergency Planning Officer, noting breweries that pivoted to making Molotov cocktails, local authorities that built schools in shelters and weapons factories which ramped up production. Across the Nordic nations, governments are boosting defense spending, reassessing security and pushing the concept of total defense. It's an approach which mobilizes the whole of society to defend against military and non-military threats. As Moscow wages war in Ukraine, Western officials are accusing Russia of being behind a campaign of sabotage, arson and cyberattacks and there are jitters across the continent about whether Europe can rely on the U.S. as a partner. The Norwegian government published its first national security strategy in May, saying the country is facing its most serious security situation since World War Two. 'After decades of peace,' it warned, 'a new era has begun for Norway and for Europe." 'What is now happening in Ukraine has to be a wake-up call for all and we must strengthen our defense to prevent anything like that from happening to us,' Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told The Associated Press. Total defense Norway announced in January that it plans to start building bomb shelters in new buildings after halting the practice in 1998. The Swedish government appointed its first minister for civil defense in 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Residents aged 16 to 70 are required to serve in the event or threat of war, either in the military or helping to provide rescue, firefighting, healthcare or other services. Finland's civil defense shelters are the envy of the Nordics and can fit around 86% of the Finnish population. One public shelter in Helsinki can fit 6,000 people, is designed to withstand the fallout from a nuclear attack and is in an almost constant state of readiness with beds and sinks tucked away behind blast doors and an underground hockey pitch. Norway and some other Nordic nations also tell residents to have enough food and water stored for seven days. 'How would you and your nearest family manage if the electricity supply was cut off for a longer period? What would you do if the water supply failed?' the Norwegian handbook asks. AP spoke to 11 people in Kongsberg and the majority said they had some form of supplies. While most didn't have a stockpile for seven days – and some had nothing at all – two people said they could probably survive for more than a week. 'Russia is very close to Norway and you don't know what's going to happen. I would rather be prepared than not prepared,' said Katina Bakke, who works in a sports shop in Kongsberg. Community support for troops Although Norwegian authorities are not expecting an imminent conflict, if war comes to Northern Europe, Kongsberg could be critical. The municipality, 85 kilometers (52 miles) southwest of the Norwegian capital Oslo with a population of around 27,000 people, is the headquarters of the Kongsberg Group, which makes high-precision weapons currently used in Ukraine. The company opened a new factory in 2024, ramping up production of advanced missiles used by multiple European countries. The town could also play host to troops if there is a conflict. In May, local authorities across the region met with the military to plan support for Western troops with logistics and healthcare in the event of a deployment. 'If the allies are coming to Norway, either staying, training, doing war work or in transit towards the east, we will have a big task for the whole community to support that,' Resser said. By readying for the worst, Resser said, the municipality also prepares for other — more likely — threats such as a pandemic, extreme weather or power outages such as the one that immobilized Spain and Portugal in April. Power generation and print-outs Authorities in Kongsberg were not always so proactive but a flood in 2007 and an exercise simulating a four-day power disruption in 2016 made them realize they needed to step up. They did a risk assessment, as obliged by law, identified more than 30 vulnerabilities and started spending money on contingency plans. Back-up power generators were bought for the town hall, medical facilities and old people's homes as well as a satellite link to be able to call for help. In case of a cyberattack, the local health authorities print and file critical patient data once a week. There were teething problems — the first satellite phones purchased in 2017 could only connect from the local graveyard which was 'not practical' in -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit) in winter, said Resser. The second system was discovered to be broken in November last year, shortly after Donald Trump was elected for a second term as U.S. president. Unsure of what Trump's election would mean for Norway, the local authorities chose a Norwegian satellite communications provider over an American competitor, Resser said, because the municipality wanted to make sure it had 'national control' in an emergency. The 'key difference' in the resilience model used across the Nordic nations is that it 'empowers' local authorities to make decisions said Martha Turnbull, Director at the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats in Helsinki, Finland. In the Nordics it's not up to the army to bring in bottles of water in a crisis; rather, there is the 'expectation' that local authorities will respond, along with civilians and businesses, Turnbull said. Sabotage Europeans elsewhere need to realize the threat from Moscow can reach 'much deeper' than nations bordering Russia, said Matthew Redhead, a national security expert at the Royal United Services Institute in London. 'The threat is rising,' from Russia's campaign of vandalism, sabotage and arson across Europe and Moscow could target energy grids, internet cables and water supplies, Norway's Defense Minister Tore O. Sandvik told AP. 'Sabotage has become one of the threats that is now on the radar to an extent that we haven't seen probably since the Second World War' said Even Tvedt, Chief Security Officer at the Kongsberg Group. Reeling off suspicious incidents at the company, he detailed how in 2024 an activist tried to destroy engines for fighter jets, drones were spotted over an area where it's illegal to fly and attempts were made to get through a factory perimeter. It's not always possible to identify motivation or to say if the incidents are separate, linked or just 'some kid' flying a drone, but the number of suspicious events indicates sabotage is highly possible, Tvedt said. Moscow is ramping up its activities in Europe to a 'pre-war' level, said Redhead, but away from Russia ordinary people and local authorities may be less ready for a crisis because 'we don't think we will be on the front line.' 'Freaking people out about this at some point is potentially quite necessary.'
Washington Post
3 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
Nordic nations embrace total defense as the risk of sabotage and war rises
KONGSBERG, Norway — In 1944, Norwegian resistance fighters in the town of Kongsberg blew up a factory making cannons for occupying Nazi German forces during World War II. More than 80 years later, the municipality could once again be a target for sabotage and is preparing for war. The local authorities have dusted off Cold War-era bomb shelters, installed a new satellite communications system and are working with the military on plans to help a deployment of Western forces in case of conflict.
Entrepreneur
4 days ago
- General
- Entrepreneur
Thousands Left Without Power After Deliberate Sabotage of Electrical Infrastructure
A suspected act of sabotage has left at least 45,000 people without electricity after unknown perpetrators set fire to an electrical transformer and cut through pylon pillars in what authorities... This story originally appeared on Calendar A suspected act of sabotage has left at least 45,000 people without electricity after unknown perpetrators set fire to an electrical transformer and cut through pylon pillars in what authorities are describing as a 'malicious act.' The incident, which appears to have been carefully planned, has caused widespread disruption to homes and businesses in the affected area. Emergency response teams were immediately dispatched to secure the site and begin repair work, though officials warn that full restoration of power could take several days. Local law enforcement has launched a full investigation into what they believe was a deliberate attack on critical infrastructure. Security footage from the area is being reviewed, and forensic teams are examining evidence left at the scene. Impact on Local Communities The power outage has affected essential services throughout the region. Hospitals have activated emergency generators, while schools and many businesses have been temporarily closed. Residents in the affected areas have reported difficulties with: Food storage as refrigeration systems fail Heating and cooling systems in homes Communication networks and internet access Water supply in areas dependent on electric pumps Local authorities have established temporary relief centers for vulnerable residents, particularly the elderly and those with medical needs requiring electricity. These centers offer charging stations, heated areas, and basic medical support. Security Concerns and Investigation 'This appears to be a coordinated attack on our power grid,' said the regional police chief. 'The methods used show knowledge of electrical systems and a clear intent to cause maximum disruption.' The damage to the transformer station was extensive, with evidence suggesting accelerants were used to start the fire. Additionally, structural supports for several high-voltage transmission pylons were compromised, causing them to become unstable and necessitating emergency reinforcement before repairs could commence. Energy security experts have expressed concern about the targeted nature of the attack. The perpetrators specifically chose components that would affect the largest number of customers while being difficult to replace quickly,' noted a former utility security consultant. Repair Efforts Underway The power company has mobilized all available crews and brought in specialists from neighboring regions to assist with repairs. Workers face significant challenges as they attempt to replace damaged equipment and restore the transmission network. We're working around the clock to restore service,' said the utility company spokesperson. 'Our immediate priority is to establish temporary connections to bring power back to critical facilities, followed by residential areas.' Engineers estimate that temporary repairs could restore power to approximately 60% of affected customers within 48 hours. However, complete restoration may take up to a week due to the need for specialized replacement parts. The incident has prompted calls for increased security measures around critical infrastructure. Local officials are working with federal agencies to review protection protocols for similar facilities nationwide. This attack represents one of the most significant acts of infrastructure sabotage in the region in recent years. As the investigation continues, authorities have asked residents to report any suspicious activity they may have witnessed near electrical facilities in the days leading up to the incident. Community leaders have praised the resilience of residents as they cope with the outage. Neighboring communities have offered assistance, with some opening their public facilities to those affected. The power company has promised to conduct a thorough review of security measures once service is fully restored. The post Thousands Left Without Power After Deliberate Sabotage of Electrical Infrastructure appeared first on Calendar.
