Putin's Hidden Hybrid War Is Designed To Break Europe's Heart

Nato planners have always worried about the Storskog border crossing in Finnmark, where Arctic Norway comes face to face with Russia. In Soviet times, the 195-km frontier was a potential flashpoint. The Red Banner Northern Fleet's nuclear-armed submarines are still based at nearby Murmansk, on the freezing Barents Sea.

- Simon Tisdall

Reasons to worry afresh are multiplying following Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Norwegian police recently arrested several Russians, equipped with drones and cameras and showing an interest in oil and gas installations, some of whom entered via Storskog.

Since Russia cut energy supplies to Europe - and after last month's sabotage of the Nord Stream Baltic pipelines - Norway has become the continent's biggest gas supplier. And while the Oslo government is not directly accusing Moscow, it knows that makes it a prime target for covert hybrid warfare operations.

Particular concern centres on the Baltic Pipe, a gas pipeline connecting Norway to Poland and other EU countries. The worry is that it could suffer Nord Stream's fate. Pipelines supplying the UK are vulnerable too. After reports of drones buzzing North Sea rigs, Norway and Denmark - plus Nato applicants Finland and Sweden are all increasing security and maritime patrols.

Finland even plans to fence parts of its border with Russia, fearing an influx of spies and saboteurs and a maliciously orchestrated migrant surge like that on the Belarus-Poland border in 2021. The Storskog route has become popular, meanwhile, with young Russian men dodging Putin's mass mobilisation.