The hypothesis that the three leaks from the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines that run under the Baltic Sea and connect Russia with Germany are part of “a sabotage“It doesn’t stop gaining strength.
Investigations into what happened have already begun. At the moment, neither the European Union nor NATO have dared to speculate about the origin of apparently unprecedented explosions, the shadow of suspicion hangs over russia. To begin with, for the energy war between Moscow and the West stemming from the invasion of Ukraine.
But, in addition, the CIA warned a few weeks ago of a possible attack on oil pipelinesaccording to the German magazine Der Spiegel. In July, it was the UK Royal Navy that issued a statement explaining that it had been tracking russian submarines along the Norwegian coast. Precisely where the gas infrastructures pass.
[El Báltico se queda sin gas: Von der Leyen advierte de “la respuesta más fuerte posible” por el “sabotaje”]
In this sense, the Danish Defense Minister, Morten Bodskov, has pointed out that “there are reasons to be concerned“for security in the Baltic Sea region, which washes the coasts of Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, Denmark and also that of the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad.
“Russia has a significant military presence in the Baltic region and we expect them to continue their saber rattling,” Bodskov added in a statement. And the truth is that the noise of the sabers, or rather, of the shots, has increased in recent days as they arrived the first reservists summoned by Vladimir Putin to fight in the war in Ukraine.
Russian reservists at military bases.
Transferred by buses and by boat, dozens of Russian citizens arrived in Kaliningrad on Wednesday to receive combat training hand in hand with the Russian Baltic Fleet.
This has been announced by the Russian Ministry of Defense on its Telegram account, where it explains that the now Russian soldiers they are learning to shoot small arms.
“The recruits are recovering their skills in the operation and maintenance of weapons, military and special equipment,” details the Kremlin organ. That includes, among other things, target practice with Kalashnikov assault rifles and throwing grenades.
“The goal is to prepare military personnel to act confidently on the battlefield,” added the message, which is accompanied by images showing soldiers, mostly youngrehearsing military maneuvers and preparing, in short, to go to war.
“Recruits are recovering their skills in the operation and maintenance of weapons, military and special equipment”
For the moment, the Kremlin has not offered the exact number of recruits who have arrived in the Russian exclave. He did point out, however, that some 2,000 reservists they had received weapons on the Crimean peninsula.
In any case, the increase in military activity in Kaliningrad is a concern for the EU and NATO, since this Russian territory not only borders Lithuania and Poland, but also has direct access to the Baltic Sea.
Hence, by itself, it is already highly militarized, not only with thousands of soldiers, but with weapons. Including nuclear-capable missiles like the Kinzhal hypersonic missiles deployed in Kaliningrad in August. That has led to Atlantic Alliance to reinforce its units in the Baltic Sea, where it usually carries out first-rate military exercises.
[Putin oculta una cláusula del edicto de movilización que permitiría llamar a filas a un millón de rusos]
The Baltic prepares
NATO has not commented on the military movements in the Russian region, but the Baltic countries have been put on alert. Finland, for example, which in addition to sharing waters shares direct border with Russiais planning to build a fence to separate him from his neighbor.
This was explained on Wednesday by the Finnish Interior Minister, Krista Mickonenduring a press conference in which it was announced that the Nordic country was closely monitoring its territorial waters after the Nord Stream explosions.
Finland lands fighter jets on an emergency highway for the first time in decades.
[La ‘batalla’ del Báltico: la OTAN y Rusia se tantean con el movimiento de más de 100 buques de guerra]
Parallel, Finlandwhich has applied for membership in NATO, closed one of its main highways for the first time in decades to allow its fighter jets to practice landings and takeoffs, according to the agency. Reuters.
For his part, the Polish Deputy Minister of the Interior, Bartosz Grodeckistated a few weeks ago its intention to “secure the border” around the Kaliningrad site, considering Russia a “unstable neighbor“. “There is already a project to create an effective and modern perimeter security system on the Kaliningrad border,” he guaranteed.
