Russian vessel tried to map Dutch wind farms in the North Sea to ‘destroy’ vigorous its infrastructure NetherlandsThis was stated by the head of the Military Intelligence and Security Service of the Netherlands (MIVD), Jan Swillens.

The ship entered Dutch territorial waters “during the last few months” before being spotted and “escorted by the Dutch coast guard and navy,” Swillens told reporters.

“What we have seen in recent months is that Russian actors are trying to understand how the energy supply of the North Sea is organized, with the intention of disrupting it,” the interior minister added.

“The attempt failed,” he said, without going into details.

Russia is a “long-term threat”.

The incident is not related to the expulsion of Russian diplomats announced by the Netherlands on Saturday and the closure of the commercial section of the Russian embassy in Amsterdam, said Swillens and the head of the Intelligence Service (AIVD), Eric Ackerboom.

“Whatever the outcome of the war in Ukraine, Russia is likely to remain a threat to the Netherlands in the long term,” the Dutch intelligence services said in a report released today.

“The Netherlands must take into account that the war in Ukraine and its consequences are likely to last for a long time,” Swillens said. “Our future security and prosperity will depend on the outcome of this war,” he said.

“If the West does not remain united against Russia, Moscow will most likely decide that aggression is paying off,” he concluded.

^{Source: APE-MEB, AFP.}