Putin's streams. Diversion. Tanker version

So, the plot with the 'Ukrainian trace' of the sabotage at Nord Stream continues to develop. In addition to the sailing (!) yacht Andromeda (someone thinks that a sailing yacht is exactly the right vessel for an underwater sabotage operation of this level :))), a tanker appeared that was maneuvering suspiciously long in the area of the sabotage.

This is an interesting point. It is reminiscent of the incident of October 2014, when 'suspicious underwater activity' was detected off the coast of Sweden and a radio communication session was beamed towards Kaliningrad. The Swedes concluded that this was once again Russian espionage activity, but the submarine was lost. The search for the emergency mini-submarine was unsuccessful, but then attention was drawn to the strange movements of two civilian vessels - the oil tanker NS Concord of the Russian company Sovcomflot under the flag of Liberia and the research vessel Professor Logachev (FSUE Polar Marine Geological Exploration Expedition). In the central part of the Baltic Sea, they had been maneuvering for a long time, which is unusual for commercial and research vessels. This led the experts to the conclusion that the vessels in question were rescuing a submarine that had been performing a special mission off the Swedish coast and had been shipwrecked.

“It is most likely that the mini-submarine left the area while under the bottom of a large tanker, or that the tanker was converted to a carrier in advance. Moreover, both the tanker and the research vessel had spent several months undergoing repairs beforehand, which confirms the version of the appropriate re-equipment to perform tasks unrelated to their traditional use.”

It is most likely that the mini-submarine left the area while under the bottom of a large tanker, or that the tanker was converted to a carrier in advance. Moreover, both the tanker and the research vessel had spent several months undergoing repairs beforehand, which confirms the version of the appropriate re-equipment to perform tasks unrelated to their traditional use.

[Since Soviet times, the Russians have developed the technology of using civilian vessels (research and transport) to perform special tasks for military purposes. We have described the use of civilian infrastructure by the Russian military in issues of the Black Sea Security journal, in particular, issue 2(38) of 2018 contains an article "Offshore Gas Infrastructure in Russia's Counteraction to NATO on the Eastern Flank: Potential for Hybrid Use in the Black and Baltic Seas"].

That is why the "tanker trail" in the sabotage of Putin's flows again indicates that the Russians are behind it. The technology has been worked out repeatedly. Thus, as I wrote, this level of sabotage requires a submarine, which can be used to carry out the necessary preparatory work. We need to look at what other vessels were nearby, as well as where and when the tanker was under repair and who used it. Moreover, as noted, the Minerva Julie tanker was sailing from Rotterdam, and after strange movements from September 6 to 12, 2022, it eventually arrived in St. Petersburg. Even if the tanker was not converted into a mini-submarine carrier, it served as a cover for its operation at the most crucial stage. But then there would have to be another vessel somewhere to deliver and then pick up the mini-submarine if the tanker was not a carrier.

This also fits in with the information provided by the American SpaceKnow about the passage of two ships with disabled AIS transponders in the sabotage zone.

Source

About the author. Mykhailo Honchar, expert on international energy and security relations

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