Main image: The Akademik Boris Petrov is officially a research ship operating for the Russian Academy of Sciences, but is believed to be used for intelligence purposes. Photo: ocean.ru
Russian ships are monitoring large German Navy exercises taking place off the coast of the Norwegian training area of Andøya. Two Russian vessels were moving suspiciously in a zigzag pattern in the Norwegian Sea, showing clear interest in naval operations, as reported by The Barents Observer.
The German Navy exercises, the largest in decades, are being conducted in a closed maritime area and include up to 54 missile launches, torpedo and artillery firing. Nine surface ships, one submarine, German army and air force units, as well as foreign partners, are participating.
One of the Russian vessels is the Akademik Boris Petrov, which has been zigzagging north of the exercise area for the past two days. Officially, the ship is registered as a research vessel and operated by the P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology. However, it is known to engage in intelligence activities. The Akademik Boris Petrov was built in Finland in 1984, has a crew of 32, and can carry up to 24 scientific personnel. Previously, in 2022, the vessel was observed near Norwegian oil and gas platforms, and experts confirmed that it was performing espionage tasks.
In addition, the Russian cargo ship SMP Arkhangelsk was also moving suspiciously in the exercise area. The 145-meter vessel belongs to the Northern Shipping Company and is on U.S. and Ukrainian sanctions lists for involvement in transporting weapons and Ukrainian grain from the Black Sea. The SMP Arkhangelsk regularly navigates the Northern Sea Route and makes calls to Kaliningrad.
The observation of German Navy exercises by Russian ships indicates the ongoing activity of Russian intelligence forces in the Arctic and their interest in allied maneuvers.
