RAF put on alert over fears Vladimir Putin could sabotage North Sea pipeline | United Kingdom | News
The RAF has been put on alert over fears Vladimir Putin could sabotage the North Sea pipeline.
Recent incidents in the Baltic Sea have seen ships controlled by Russia and its allies involved in undersea cable damage and espionage activities.
Today the RAF has increased the number of aircraft for maritime surveillance at Lossiemouth – the first time since the Cold War that there have been US aircraft in Scotland.
Earlier this week, a Russian warship reportedly fired a machine gun and flares during a tense standoff with a German helicopter.
And last week, another report claimed that a Chinese cargo ship deliberately severed two critical cables in the 110-mile Baltic Sea in an attack allegedly orchestrated by Putin.
British security officials fear the next target will be the gas pipelines that carry more than 40% of the UK’s total gas supply. The impact of such an attack could be devastating, with possible power outages across Britain in winter.
Two Baltic pipelines have been attacked so far, severed by explosions – one in 2022 and another last year, with fears similar damage could also be caused in the North Sea.
The Langeled Pipeline links the UK and Norway, stretching 724 miles to the Yorkshire coast. It measures 44 inches in diameter and 250 atmospheres of pressure.
Gassco, the Norwegian state company that owns the gas pipelines to Britain, said: “Incidents such as the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 explosions in 2022 and the Baltic Connector incident in 2023 are not linked to Norwegian gas infrastructure, but nevertheless requires increased vigilance.
“Additional measures have therefore been implemented to protect Norwegian infrastructure. Gassco worked closely with the relevant authorities to manage this situation.
A spokesperson for National Gas, which oversees the high pressure gas network and overall supplies, told the Telegraph: “The UK gas system is designed to be flexible and resilient, with a diverse range of energy sources. supply, including UKCS, Norway, LNG and interconnectors.
“We are preparing for a range of scenarios and potential causes of disruption to any of these sources, ensuring that mitigation measures can be put in place should an issue arise.”
