‘Russians want to sabotage energy supplies in the Netherlands’ | inland

According to AIVD boss Erik Akerboom, Russian ships have been spotted near Dutch windmills that were most likely engaged in espionage. “That failed, the ships were sent away. But it says something about the Russian interest in maritime infrastructure. We are on high alert”, said Akerboom during a press conference that focused on the consequences of one year of war in Ukraine. According to the services, a physical threat to other vital sectors, such as the drinking water supply, is also conceivable. “It is not for nothing that several Russian spies have been deported from our country.”

“The Russian digital sabotage campaign against their neighbors and Western countries is the largest in history. It sometimes seems that little is happening, but the joint intelligence services are doing everything they can to help Ukraine. Their service is very resilient and must remain so.”

The war in Ukraine will probably further fuel anti-institutional sentiment in the Netherlands, the services state in their joint publication about the war. They think the war in Ukraine will last for a while. Peace talks are not yet underway and, according to the services, it is unlikely that Russia or Ukraine will win the battle anytime soon. In the meantime, the war has consequences for the energy supply, for example, which means that the Dutch are also confronted with high prices.

The AIVD and MIVD warn that these high prices lead to problems and dissatisfaction. The war itself also leads to distrust of the government. The services note that “the extremist anti-institutional movement is overwhelmingly pro-Russian, portraying President Putin as a ‘savior’.” According to the services, this is not necessarily a popular view in the Netherlands, but it would make the groups sensitive to covert influence from Russia.

The services say no large numbers of extremists have traveled to Russia or Ukraine to join the fight. They do warn that there is a chance that al-Qaeda or the terrorist organization Islamic State will try to profit from the war. “We see that Isis is regrouping in Syria. We are not going to an increased threat, but we do see networks emerging that we are concerned about,” says Akerboom.