A secret underwater base intended to monitor NATO activity in the Baltic Sea would have been established by Russia in the area where the Estonia ferry sank, over 30 years ago, writes The Moscow Times, citing an investigation by the German publications WDR, NDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The investigation is based on information from sources within NATO’s security services.
The area where the sunken ship is located was closed many years ago by Finnish, Estonian, and German authorities.
Violating these restrictions, Russian intelligence services would have placed on the ferry wreck devices that control drones and underwater robots, as well as equipment capable of detecting the acoustic signatures of NATO warships and submarines.
These signatures help identify ships by the unique sound characteristics of their engines and propellers.
Western intelligence agencies believe that the Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research (GUGI) of the Russian Federation is responsible for such operations.
This secret unit, directly subordinate to the Ministry of Defense, specializes in underwater espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance.
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