A Russian cargo ship loaded with explosives is anchored off the coast of western Denmark near Skagerrak.
According to TV2, the Danwatch and Information organization wrote on Tuesday that a Russian cargo ship called “Ruby,” carrying tens of thousands of tons of explosives, was en route from Norway to Lithuania via the Storebæltsbroen route in Denmark. Therefore, it should have passed through Danish waters on Saturday. However, in recent hours, Ruby has not moved much, according to the MaritimeTraffic ship-tracking service between North Jutland and Southern Norway.
It remains anchored in the waters west of Denmark, south of Norway.
As of the latest update at the time of writing this article in Arabic, the Russian cargo ship "Ruby," carrying 20,000 tons of ammonium nitrate—a highly explosive material—remains anchored in Norwegian waters west and south of Denmark, instead of continuing its journey through Danish waters as planned. The ship has sustained cracks in its hull and damage to its rudder, raising serious concerns, as the amount of explosives it is carrying is seven times greater than that which caused the Beirut port explosion in 2020, killing at least 200 people.
According to the MarineTraffic website, which tracks ship movements, the ship “Ruby” intended to cross the Øresund Strait, but the depth was not sufficient for it to pass through there. Despite its plans to sail towards Lithuania to repair the damage, the Lithuanian and Swedish authorities refused to receive the ship because of its dangerous cargo. The Swedish authorities did not allow the ship to approach their ports because of the risks it might pose to populated areas in Gothenburg and Uddevalla.
The ship had also planned to sail through the Storebæltsbroen bridge in Denmark to complete its journey to Lithuania, but Norway also refused the ship passage through the port of Tromsø after the dangerous cargo was discovered.
On the other hand, in such cases, it is recommended that a marine pilot be present alongside the captain on board the ship to cross Danish waters, given the size and danger of the cargo. However, the assigned marine pilot from DanPilot was informed that his mission had been cancelled, indicating possible changes in the ship's plans.
Part of the Russian hybrid warfare
According to DR, the Danish Maritime Authority said it was “monitoring” the Roby. Since the outbreak of war in Ukraine, many experts have warned of the dangers posed by the Russian “shadow fleet” – poorly maintained cargo and oil tankers that often sail differently and carry Russian goods through Danish waters. .
Analyst Jakob Karsbo of the European Research Centre describes the Ruby's behavior as "suspicious," noting that the vessel remained close to the NATO base in Tromsø and to oil and natural gas facilities in Bergen. According to him, as reported by DR, the ship is likely part of a hybrid war, with Russia attempting to intimidate and gauge the reaction of Nordic countries when the vessel approaches coastlines and critical locations such as the NATO base: "Not because I think the Russians would suddenly let this floating bomb explode around the Great Belt Bridge, because that would be an act of war. Perhaps the aim is to test how the authorities react," the source stated.
