The RAF has been put on alert with fears that Vladimir Putin will sabotage the North Sea pipeline.
Recent incidents in the Baltic Sea have seen ships controlled by Russia and her allies reportedly connected with damage to undersea cables and spying.
Now, the RAF has increased the number of aircraft for marine surveillance at Lossiemouth – the first time since the Cold War there have been American planes in Scotland.
Earlier this week, a Russian warship reportedly fired a machinegun and flares during a tense encounter with a German helicopter.
And last week, another report claimed a Chinese cargo ship deliberately severed two critical cables in the Baltic Sea across 110 miles in an attack supposedly orchestrated by Putin.
UK security officials are worried that the next target could be pipelines that transport over 40% of Britain’s entire gas supply. The impact of an attack like that could be devastating, with potential winter blackouts in Britain.
Two Baltic pipelines have been attacked to date, severed by explosions – one in 2022 and another last year with concerns that similar damage could also be done in the North Sea.
The Langeled pipeline runs between the UK and Norway, spanning 724 miles into the Yorkshire coast. It measures at 44 inches in diameter and 250 atmospheres of pressure.
Gassco, the Norwegian state-owned company that owns the pipelines running to Britain, said: “Incidents such as the explosions in Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 in 2022 and the Baltic Connector incident in 2023 are not linked to Norwegian gas infrastructure, but nevertheless resulted in a need for increased vigilance.
“Further measures have therefore been implemented to protect Norwegian infrastructure. Gassco has worked closely with relevant authorities to manage this situation.”
A spokesman for National Gas, which oversees the high pressure gas network and overall supplies, told the Telegraph: “The UK gas system is designed for flexibility and resilience, with a diverse range of supply sources, including UKCS, Norway, LNG, and the interconnectors.
“We prepare for a range of scenarios and potential causes of disruption to any of these sources, ensuring mitigations can be put in place should any issues occur.”
