With Europe forced by Russia's brutal aggression in Ukraine to cut off natural gas supplies from Russia, Norway, with its considerable natural gas under the North Sea, has become the supplier of choice to our western allies. Some 5,600 miles of natural gas pipelines travel under the sea from Norwegian gas platforms to terminals in Europe and the UK, making Norway's natural gas infrastructure of prime interest to Russia. Recent Russian drone sightings near Norway's offshore gas rigs are a clear sign of that ominous interest. From the Associated Press:
"With Norway replacing Russia as Europe’s main source of natural gas, military experts suspect the unmanned aircraft are Moscow’s doings. They list espionage, sabotage and intimidation as possible motives for the drone flights.
The Norwegian government has sent warships, coastguard vessels and fighter jets to patrol around the offshore facilities. Norway’s national guard stationed soldiers around onshore refineries that also were buzzed by drones.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has invited the navies of NATO allies Britain, France and Germany to help address what could be more than a Norwegian problem. [snip]
'The value of Norwegian gas to Europe has never been higher,' Ståle Ulriksen, a researcher at the Royal Norwegian Naval Academy, said. 'As a strategic target for sabotage, Norwegian gas pipelines are probably the highest value target in Europe.'” (our emphasis)
The sabotage of the Nordstream I and II gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea last month was almost certainly Russia's action, and demonstrates their ability to interrupt gas supplies from Norway to our allies in Europe, as war criminal and thug Vladimir Putin's military fortunes in Ukraine deteriorate. Any unexplained damage or disruption to Norway's vital pipelines would likely be Russia's doing, and the western alliance should be prepared to respond forcefully.
