Russian warships have repeatedly sailed on collision programs, aimed weapons at Danish naval vessels and disrupted navigation programs in Denmark’s straits that join the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, its defence intelligence service mentioned on Friday.
Such incidents threat unintended escalation, it mentioned.
The Baltic area stays on excessive alert after incidents involving undersea cables, gasoline pipeline outages, airspace violations and drone sightings since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, which elevated tensions between Moscow and the West.
Denmark, a staunch supporter of Ukraine in its battle with Russia, has beefed up its navy funds and dedicated to buying long-range precision weapons able to hanging targets inside Russia.
RUSSIAN WARSHIPS POINT WEAPONRY AT DANISH HELICOPTERS, DANISH INTELLIGENCE SAYS
“We’ve seen a number of incidents within the Danish straits, the place Danish air pressure helicopters and naval vessels have been focused by monitoring radars and bodily pointed at with weapons from Russian warships,” Danish Defence Intelligence Service Director Thomas Ahrenkiel informed a press convention.
He mentioned Russian warships had sailed on collision programs with Danish vessels throughout their passage by means of the straits.
Ahrenkiel mentioned a Russian warship has been anchored in Danish waters for over per week, suggesting attainable interference from Moscow if Denmark tried to curb actions of Russia’s “shadow fleet” of tankers used to avoid Western sanctions on its oil exports imposed over its battle with Ukraine.
In Could, tensions escalated within the Baltic Sea when Russia deployed a fighter jet throughout Estonia’s interception of a Russian-bound oil tanker suspected of being a part of the shadow fleet.
The Danish straits, a busy worldwide transport route, see frequent motion of Russian navy vessels that are sometimes escorted by Denmark’s navy.
Defence intelligence has additionally recorded Russian warships crusing by means of Danish straits with sonar and jamming gear, in accordance with Ahrenkiel. He mentioned it was “extremely possible” that they, on at least one event, had jammed alerts and brought about intensive GPS interference in Denmark.
Denmark’s intelligence service assesses that Russia is conducting hybrid warfare towards Denmark and the broader West.
“Russia is utilizing navy means, together with in an aggressive means, to place strain on us with out crossing the road into armed battle in a standard sense,” Ahrenkiel mentioned.
Moscow has repeatedly denied duty for hybrid assaults in Europe. President Vladimir Putin joked on Thursday that he wouldn’t fly drones over Denmark anymore and described as “nonsense” the concept his nation would doubtlessly goal a NATO member.
NO DIRECT MILITARY THREAT DESPITE INCIDENTS
Regardless of the incidents, defence intelligence emphasised that there was no direct navy menace towards Denmark.
Nonetheless, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen final week described current drone incursions over Danish airports and navy installations as a “hybrid assault” on the nation.
Defence Minister Troels Lund Poulsen mentioned investigations into the incidents have been persevering with, with no conclusions but on the identification of the perpetrator.
Hybrid threats, which embody sabotage, disinformation, espionage and cyberattacks, have been flagged as more and more aggressive by Western safety companies.
NATO has strengthened its Baltic operations in response to the drone incursions. Sweden proposed new laws on Friday to increase maritime surveillance by its coast guard.
(Reuters)
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