Security services from seven European countries convened a closed-door meeting with Norwegian energy executives and officials on Monday to discuss perceived Russian threats to critical infrastructure. The briefing, which included representatives from Europe’s largest gas supplier Equinor, underscored Norway’s crucial role in European energy security.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of the ONS energy conference, brought together national security services from Norway, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland. It highlighted growing concerns about potential Russian sabotage and espionage targeting energy infrastructure.
Sinan Selen, vice president of Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, told Reuters after the meeting, “We see a developing story which addresses not only Germany or Norwegian colleagues but all of us.” He added, “This is a threat which comes from some counterparts like Russia, including not only espionage operations but also the risk of sabotage in some fields,” though he declined to discuss specific cases.
The briefing comes in the wake of recent arrests in Germany. In April, two German-Russian nationals were apprehended on suspicion of plotting sabotage attacks, including against U.S. military facilities, in what officials described as a serious attempt to undermine military support for Ukraine. The Russian Embassy in Germany has dismissed these allegations as “absurd and ridiculous.”
Norwegian intelligence agencies have also emphasized the potential threat of Russian sabotage. Beate Gangaas, head of Norway’s counterintelligence agency PST, which organized the meeting, stated bluntly, “When we are talking about sabotage today, we are talking about Russia.”
Earlier this year, Norwegian intelligence agencies warned that Russia “may find it prudent” to carry out physical or digital acts of sabotage against targets in Norway, with the petroleum sector being the prime target. Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Norway, a NATO member sharing an Arctic border with Russia, has become Europe’s largest supplier of natural gas, delivered via an extensive subsea pipeline system.
Vice Admiral Nils Andreas Stensoenes, head of the Norwegian Intelligence Service, addressed an open-door meeting earlier on Monday, stating, “Russia is in a lasting confrontation with the West, and it’s a regime that is willing to take more risk.” He added, “So, even though we haven’t seen any concrete evidence on plans to do anything in Norway, it’s wise to be prudent and increase the level of security.”
Source: Reuters
