Netherlands prepares measures against Putin's shadow fleet in the North Sea

Netherlands prepares measures against Putin's shadow fleet in the North Sea

Nordsee, Niederlande - The increasing tensions in the North Sea and Baltic Sea area have caused the Dutch government to consider serious measures against Russian ships. Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp confirmed that there were indications of Russian sabotage, especially with regard to damaged submarine cables. These developments are in the shadow of a potential Russian shadow fleet that acts internationally and endangered the infrastructure.

In 2022, 20 Russian ships were diverted from the North Sea, while only 11 were redirected in 2023. Veldkamp fears that these numbers are only the tip of the iceberg. He reported at least 37 attempts in Russian sabotage and influence in Western Europe in 2022 and 13 in 2023.

The challenges of the hybrid war

A high-ranking NATO official, James Appathurai, warns that Russia has intensified his attacks on NATO countries, including assassination plans. This form of warfare, which is known as hybrid war, aims to destabilize opponents without looking for an open conflict. In the past few months, NATO has found several submarine cables in the Baltic Sea that have been damaged or cut. This refers to a troubling pattern of hybrid attacks in which Russia is identified as the main actor.

In this context, Andriy Yermak, chief of staff of President Wolodymyr Selenskyj, European countries and NATO countries, calls on evaluating the risks of hybrid threats. The damage listed includes several incidents in the Black Sea and in the Baltic Sea, which are an immediate threat to the infrastructure.

NATO and the protective measures

As part of the NATO initiative "Baltic Sentry", the protection of critical infrastructures, including submarine cables, is now also reinforced. This is supported by an increased military presence, which aims NATO to deter Russia and ensure security in the region. Veldkamp emphasizes the need to observe international maritime law regulations, while at the same time he demands more energetic measures against Russian ships.

This strategy is particularly important because security expert Johannes Peters explains that Russia's shadow fleet runs sabotage and espionage to avoid sanctions. Greenpeace estimates that up to 200 ships are part of this shadow fleet. The oil tanker “eventin” and other similar ships have already caused serious environmental damage because they are often insufficiently insured.

In addition, it is warned that legal options have to be fully exploited in order to improve the protection of critical infrastructures without violating international law. Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans has had talks with Baltic and British colleagues to develop adequate reactions and to promote the developments that have started.

Overall, the current security situation indicates that the NATO countries and in particular the Dutch government have to work on a coordinated strategy in order to cope with the challenges of the hybrid war and to secure stability in the region.

For more information you can do the articles from Merkur href = "https://www.newsweek.com/nato-russia-hybrid-attacks-baltic-sea-assassination-plots-james-appathurai-2022663"> newsweek and ZDF Read.