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A6 WORLD NEWS
Monday 24 october 2022
Fears over Russian threat to Norway’s energy infrastructure

By MARK LEWIS miles) from the coast.
Associated Press Norwegian police have
STAVANGER, Norway (AP) worked closely with military
— Norwegian oil and gas investigators who are ana-
workers normally don’t see lyzing marine traffic.
anything more threaten- Some platform operators
ing than North Sea waves have reported seeing Rus-
crashing against the steel sian-flagged research ves-
legs of their offshore plat- sels in close vicinity.
forms. But lately they have Revheim said no pattern
noticed a more troubling has been established from
sight: unidentified drones legal marine traffic and he
buzzing in the skies over- is concerned about caus-
head. ing unnecessary, disruptive
With Norway replacing worry for workers.
Russia as Europe’s main But Ulriksen, of the naval
source of natural gas, mili- academy, said the distinc-
tary experts suspect the tion between Russian ci-
unmanned aircraft are vilian and military ships is
Moscow’s doings. They list narrow and the reported
espionage, sabotage and research vessels could fairly
intimidation as possible mo- be described as “spy ships.”
tives for the drone flights. The arrest of at least seven
The Norwegian govern- The Sleipner A gas platform, Norway, Oct. 1, 2022 as a Coast Guard ship patrols around the Russian nationals caught ei-
ment has sent warships, platform. Associated Press ther carrying or illegally fly-
coastguard vessels and ing drones over Norwegian
fighter jets to patrol around of continental significance. bigger threat to the 9,000 heads the North Sea and territory has raised tensions.
the offshore facilities. Nor- “The value of Norwegian kilometers (5,600 miles) of environment group for On Wednesday, the same
way’s national guard sta- gas to Europe has never gas pipelines that spider Norway’s South West Po- day a drone sighting
tioned soldiers around on- been higher,” Ståle Ulriksen, from Norway’s sea plat- lice force, said his team grounded planes in Bergen,
shore refineries that also a researcher at the Royal forms to terminals in Britain interviewed more than 70 Norway’s second-biggest
were buzzed by drones. Norwegian Naval Acad- and mainland Europe. offshore workers who have city, the Norwegian Police
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr emy, said. “As a strategic Since the start of the war spotted drones near their Security Service took over
Støre has invited the na- target for sabotage, Nor- in Ukraine in late February, facilities. the case from local officers.
vies of NATO allies Britain, wegian gas pipelines are European Union countries “The working thesis is that “We have taken over the
France and Germany to probably the highest value have scrambled to replace they are controlled from investigation because it is
help address what could target in Europe.” their Russian gas imports vessels or submarines near- our job to investigate espio-
be more than a Norwegian Closures of airports, and with shipments from Nor- by,” Revheim said. nage and enforce sanction
problem. evacuations of an oil refin- way. The suspected sabo- Winged drones have a lon- rules against Russia,” Martin
Precious little of the off- ery and a gas terminal last tage of the Nord Stream 1 ger range, but investiga- Bernsen, an official with the
shore oil that provides vast week due to drone sight- and 2 pipelines in the Baltic tors considered credible service known by the Nor-
income for Norway is used ings caused huge disrup- Sea last month happened a sighting of a helicopter- wegian acronym PST.
by the country’s 5.4 million tions. a day before Norway style bladed model near He said the “sabotage or
inhabitants. Instead, it pow- But with winter approach- opened a new Baltic pipe- the Sleipner platform, lo- possible mapping” of en-
ers much of Europe. Natural ing in Europe, there is worry line to Poland. cated in a North Sea gas ergy infrastructure was an
gas is another commodity the drones may portend a Amund Revheim, who field 250 kilometers (150 ongoing concern.q

Ethiopia takes Tigray town ahead of

anticipated peace talks

talks between the war- federal government said gin earlier in October but
ring parties. Ethiopian and Tuesday it had captured were postponed because
Eritrean military units cap- the major town of Shire, of logistical and techni-
tured Adwa on Saturday home to a camp for inter- cal issues. Western diplo-
as Tigray forces retreated nally displaced people, mats and others have wel-
from the town after suffer- and vowed to take control comed news of talks, urg-
ing “major losses,” the aid of Tigray’s airports. ing the parties to agree to
worker told The Associated Eritrean troops are fighting an immediate cease-fire.
Press. An airstrike hit Adwa on the side of Ethiopia’s Pope Francis on Sunday
on Friday, causing an un- federal army in the Tigray told a crowd in St. Peter’s
specified number of civilian conflict. Square that he was follow-
Ethiopians protest against what they say is interference by
outsiders in the country’s internal affairs and against the Tigray causalities, according to South Africa is set to host ing “with trepidation the
People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the party of Tigray’s fugitive the worker, who spoke on peace talks, convened by persistent situation of con-
leaders, at a rally organized by the city administration in the the condition of anonym- the African Union, that one flict” in the Horn of Africa
capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022. ity because of safety con- Ethiopian government of- nation.
Associated Press cerns. ficial had said would be- “May the efforts of the par-
Losing Adwa is the latest gin Oct. 24. But the African ties who are involved in di-
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) embattled Tigray region, a setback for Tigray’s fugi- Union itself has not released alogue and the search for
— Ethiopian and Eritrean humanitarian worker said tive leaders, who have lost details about plans for the the common good lead to
forces took control of the Sunday, ahead of the control of a string of towns talks, if and when they start. a concrete path of recon-
historic town of Adwa in the start of anticipated peace in recent days. Ethiopia’s The talks were meant to be- ciliation,” he said.q