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Ukraine war: The Russian ships accused of North Sea sabotage

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According to a joint investigation by public broadcasters in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, Russia has allegedly developed a program to disrupt wind farms and communication cables in the North Sea. The investigation claims that Russia has deployed a fleet of vessels disguised as fishing trawlers and research vessels that carry underwater surveillance equipment to map out key sites for potential sabotage.

UK officials are reportedly aware of Russian vessels moving around UK waters as part of this program. The first of a series of reports on this matter is scheduled to be aired on Wednesday by DR in Denmark, NRK in Norway, SVT in Sweden, and Yle in Finland.

According to a Danish counter-intelligence officer, the plans for sabotaging wind farms and communication cables in the North Sea are being prepared by Russia in case of a full-scale conflict with the West. The head of Norwegian intelligence has also reportedly said that the program is considered highly important for Russia and controlled directly from Moscow.

The broadcasters claim to have analyzed intercepted Russian communications, which reveal the presence of “ghost ships” sailing in Nordic waters with their transmitters turned off to avoid detection. The report highlights a vessel named the Admiral Vladimirsky, officially designated as an underwater research vessel but alleged to be a Russian spy ship.

The documentary cites an anonymous former UK Royal Navy expert who tracked the vessel’s movements around seven wind farms located off the coasts of the UK and the Netherlands during one mission.

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The plan to make a giant hot water bottle underground

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During the Cold War, Sweden stored 300,000 cubic metres of oil in caverns beneath the city of Västerås, in case of a war that could cut off their energy supplies. Recently, Swedish energy company Mälarenergi has decided to clean and repurpose the caverns as a large underground hot water tank that can hold up to 120 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

This project will create the largest underground thermos in Europe and will be filled with hot water reaching up to 95C. The location of the caverns remains undisclosed, but Lisa Granström, acting head of business unit heat and power, says that the caverns are warmer and damper than expected and still smell a bit oily. The new underground tank will be 11 times bigger than the largest above-ground hot water tank Mälarenergi currently has nearby.

Experts suggest that we should make more use of below-ground heat storage systems, like the one being developed by Mälarenergi in Västerås, as a means of caching warmth for later use. The heat from the underground hot water tank will be transmitted to a district heating network that provides heat to almost all households in the city.

The company plans to start filling the caverns with hot water by the end of the year, providing up to 500MW of district heating power. The heat comes from a nearby power plant that burns waste or biomass to generate electricity or thermal energy, but carbon capture technology is yet to be installed. The underground reservoir will help Mälarenergi maintain the heat supply to homes during peak demand in winter without reducing electricity production at the power plant.

Storing heat underground is effective due to the insulating properties of the ground, which makes it difficult for heat to escape. Mälarenergi’s caverns are expected to retain heat for several weeks, and the heat loss will be minimal once the adjacent ground temperature rises after a few years.

In London, the clay surrounding the tunnels on the Underground has been heated by people and trains, making it challenging to cool down tube carriages and platforms. The Västerås project is not the first of its kind, as a similar system in Finland supplies heat to 25,000 apartments all year round. Fleur Loveridge at the University of Leeds praises the cavern solutions as a great option among others for energy storage.

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Swedish police chief Mats Lofving found dead after inquiry

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A senior police officer from Sweden was discovered deceased at his house in a case that the police have deemed “very unfortunate.” Regional police commander for Stockholm, Mats Lofving, was only under investigation for choices he allegedly made while dating the former head of police intelligence.

The injured person was reported to the police at Norrkoping, 160 kilometres (100 miles) south-west of Stockholm. They claimed that he could not be saved.

Police had opened a preliminary murder investigation, a spokesman told Swedish media, because it was yet unclear what caused his death.

An outside investigation had already discovered that Lofving, 61, who served as deputy national police chief, had a conflict of interest in several of the choices he made regarding Linda Staaf, the department’s intelligence chief (Noa).

Ms. Staaf has insisted time and time again that her relationship with Lofving was never more than platonic.

Runar Viksten, the special investigator who oversaw the inquiry, found no proof that she and Lofving were dating at the time she was named intelligence chief in 2015.

She received her service weapon from the police chief in 2020, her contract was extended and her pay was increased, and she was also given approval to write a crime fiction.

The investigation discovered that while Lofving’s judgements were neither unjustified nor improper, he shouldn’t have made them.

Lofving said that the conclusions had been challenging to hear on Wednesday to Sweden’s state television. He should either relinquish his position as police chief or resign entirely, according to the study.

Hours before the news of his death broke, Ms. Staaf claimed she was fully suited for the position and felt vindicated because the investigation found that the judgements taken regarding her were correct.

She believed the police authorities might have provided her with more assistance, though. She claimed to have been the target of a “smear campaign” to the Swedish media in December of last year.

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Turkey condemns ‘vile’ Sweden Quran-burning protest

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Turkey has denounced as a “vile act” the burning of a copy of the Quran during a protest in Sweden. The statement referred to the Swedish government’s decision to permit the protest as “absolutely reprehensible.”

It happens while diplomatic tension between the two nations is rising. A visit by Sweden’s Defence Minister, Pal Jonson, was cancelled earlier after Turkey, which had pleaded with Sweden to put an end to the demonstration, claimed the trip had “lost its purpose and meaning.”

The trip was intended to allay Ankara’s concerns over the Scandinavian nation joining the Nato military alliance. Both Sweden’s and Finland’s applications to the NATO have so far been delayed by Turkey.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s detractors and the Kurds it accuses of being terrorists are among the political concessions Turkey seeks. Turkey is already a member of NATO, thus it has the power to prevent another nation from entering. After Russia invaded Ukraine, both Sweden and Finland submitted applications to join NATO.

A copy of the Quran was set on fire by Rasmus Paludan, a member of the extreme right-wing Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party, during the demonstration on Saturday afternnon in front of the Turkish embassy in Stockholm. Muslims believe the Quran as a sacred text from God and find it highly insulting when it is intentionally harmed or treated disrespectfully.

Turkey is a predominantly Muslim nation. The crime, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, occurred “despite numerous warnings.” It stated that it was totally unacceptable to allow this anti-Islam conduct, which attacks Muslims and denigrates our fundamental principles, under the cover of “freedom of expression.”

It continued by saying that the burning of the Quran was just another illustration of the “alarming” degree to which racism, bigotry, and Islamophobia had spread throughout Europe, and it urged the Swedish government to take “required actions.” Tobias Billstrom, Sweden’s foreign minister, referred to the behaviour as “appalling.”

Stockholm also saw separate demonstrations both in favour of and against Turkey. Our relationships with Turkey are very important to Sweden, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue on mutual security and defence matters at a later time, Mr. Jonson tweeted after Turkey cancelled the Swedish defence minister’s trip.

In an effort to undermine Sweden’s NATO application, protesters hung an effigy of President Erdogan from a lamppost in Stockholm last week, according to Sweden’s prime minister. At rallies last year, Mr. Paludan made threats to burn the Quran, setting up clashes.

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Nord Stream: Sweden finds new leak in Russian gas pipeline

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The fourth leak this week has been found, this time in Sweden, in a significant undersea pipeline supplying Russian natural gas to the EU. This week, gas leaks in the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were reported by Sweden and Denmark.

The events, according to Nato, were caused by “deliberate, careless, and negligent acts of sabotage.” Suggestions that Russia had attacked its own pipelines were brushed aside as “predictable and stupid.” The explosions, according to the Russian foreign ministry, happened in “zones controlled by American intelligence.”

It was obvious that a non-state actor could not have been behind the incidents, meaning that a country must have been to blame, according to Miguel Berger, the German ambassador to the UK. The fourth leak on Nord Stream 2 was discovered, according to the Swedish coast guard, very close to an earlier, larger leak on Nord Stream 1.

In retribution for the West’s support for Ukraine, the EU has accused Russia of using gas supplies as a weapon against it on numerous occasions. Without going into any detail, Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, stated that it is “quite evident” who is responsible for the damage.

The leaks, said to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, have him “very concerned,” and he added that it was impossible to rule out a planned strike. The energy infrastructure of the continent would be subject to the “strongest possible response,” according to EU leaders.

While this was going on, Norway, a non-EU country, declared it would send troops to guard oil and gas facilities. Despite the fact that they both contain gas, Nord Stream 1 and 2 are not currently delivering any gas.

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Avicii’s family sell music rights to Abba star’s company

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The Swedish entertainment company Pophouse has purchased 75% of the master recording and publishing rights from Avicii’s family. Avicii’s parents will be able to focus on the foundation they started after his passing in 2018 thanks to the agreement.

To “maintain a respectful tone” in the way his music is utilised and promoted, they keep the remaining 25% of his rights. Björn Ulvaeus, an Abba member, founded Pophouse in 2014, which manages the London production of Abba Voyage. The business published sales data for the ground-breaking virtual concert for the first time in a press release announcing the Avicii contract, with 650,000 tickets sold and more than 160 sold out shows.

Tim Bergling, better known by his stage name Avicii, was born in 1989. He became well-known after uploading tracks he’d recorded in his Stockholm bedroom to dance music websites.

He distinguished himself from his contemporaries by crafting songs with emotive pop hooks, and Wake Me Up, a tune that fused folky, bluegrass melodies with club-ready sounds, became a massive international smash.

Bergling went on to make music for Madonna and Coldplay and to become one of the highest-paid DJs in the world, but he also battled alcoholism and despair, and at the age of 28, he committed suicide.

Since then, Klas Bergling and Anki Lidén, who are in charge of managing his estate, have organised a star-studded memorial event, obtained a video game licence based on his music, and inaugurated an interactive memorial museum in Stockholm.

The Swedish House Mafia master recordings and publishing assets were purchased by Pophouse six months prior to the Avicii agreement. There is no known cost associated with the acquisition.

Similar agreements have shown up a lot during the past five years, with musicians like Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Shakira, and Blondie selling the rights to their catalogues to businesses that pledge to protect their legacy while pocketing the profits.

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Sweden is experiencing unrest as a result of planned Quran burnings

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Clashes have erupted in several Swedish cities for the fourth day, sparked by the alleged burning of a Quran by a far-right, anti-immigrant group.

Three people were injured, according to local media, when police fired warning shots at rioters in Norrköping, Sweden, on Sunday.
At least 17 people were arrested after several vehicles were set on fire.

During a far-right rally in the southern city of Malmo on Saturday, vehicles, including a bus, were set on fire. The governments of Iran and Iraq had summoned Swedish envoys to express their displeasure with the burning.

Rasmus Paludan, the leader of the Danish-Swedish Stram Kurs, or Hard Line, movement, said he had burned Islam’s most sacred text and would do so again.

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, at least 16 police officers were reported injured, and several police vehicles were reported destroyed in unrest in areas where the far-right group planned events, including Stockholm suburbs and the cities of Linköping and Norrköping.

According to Deutsche Welle, Paludan had threatened to hold another rally in Norrköping on Sunday, prompting counter-demonstrators to gather there.

In a statement, local police said they fired warning shots after being attacked, and three people were apparently hit by ricochets.

Anders Thornberg, Sweden’s national police chief, said in a statement on Saturday that demonstrators had shown a lack of concern for police officers’ lives, adding: “We’ve seen violent riots in the past. This, on the other hand, is a unique situation.”

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Sweden imposes strict restrictions

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The European country of Sweden, which once opted out from imposing severe restrictions, has introduced certain strict restrictions to curb the spread of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The country has brought in certain important restrictions in the area of dining in restaurants.

Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has recently admitted that there was something to be worried about.

The country has witnessed as many as 31 deaths in the last few days. The total death toll has crossed around 5,969.

Sweden is one of the few countries which has never imposed a severe lockdown. When most of its neighbors adopted strict lockdown measures, Sweden opted not to impose strict measures.   

The recent development indicates that the Swedish government is planning to make a U-turn on its policy regarding the lockdown restriction.

The new restriction measures will bring a considerable change in the way people of the country use its public transport and non-essential shopping.

At preset at least 70 per cent of the total region of the country is under some kind of restriction.

The government has recently brought in Halland, Orebro and Jonkoping.   

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Sweden contradicts WHO warning

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The European country of Sweden – which has taken an entirely different route to address the Covid-19 crisis – has contradicted a warning given by the World Health Organisation on the issue of Covid-19.

Swedish state epidemiologist Anders Tegnell has rejected to move made by the global organisation to include Sweden among countries in Europe at risk of a Covid-19 resurgence.

As per the opinion of the Swedish epidemiologist, what has led the WHO to this conclusion was a misinterpretation of the data.  

He has said that the recent rise in the total number of cases of Covid-19 in the country is the result of the increase in testing.

However, the WHO it seems is not convinced by the way the European country of Sweden has approached the crisis.

What the warning implies that the WHO expects a rise in the number of cases of Covid-19 in Sweden in the coming days.

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Swedish Former PM Palme’s Death: Prosecution unties all knots

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The Swedish prosecution has finally untied all knots in connection with the killing of former Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme.

The prosecution has named the killer, removing all shadows around the mysterious case happened more than two decades ago.

As per the findings of the prosecution, the killer is Stig Engstrom, who killed himself in the early 2000s.

The former PM was shot in his back at the time he was walking back to his home from a cinema hall where he had visited with his wife in Stockholm.

What makes the case mysterious is that at the time he was shot there was no security personals with him and there was a questionable heist from the part of the then government to bring an end to this case.

With the new findings, the case has been closed down by the Swedish persecution. The son of the deceased former head of the European country of Sweden has expressed his happiness in the breakthrough achieved by the persecution in the case.   V

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