MOSCOW, March 13. /TASS/. NATO naval forces intend to increase the number of terrorist attacks on Russian underwater pipelines, tankers, and bulk carriers, said Nikolay Patrushev, Chairman of the Maritime Board and aide to the Russian President, in an interview with the National Defense magazine, citing experts.

"The information we have says that the [NATO] navy is planning to intensify terrorist activities against Russian underwater pipelines, tankers, and bulk carriers," Patrushev said.

He added that "naval provocations" have been employed by Western countries for subversive work since the Cold War, and "they do not intend to abandon their use." "It is no coincidence that special attention is being paid to the sabotage units of the NATO navies as part of ongoing exercises and combat training programs," the presidential aide said.

Patrushev also said that NATO is simulating cyberattacks on the navigation equipment of Russian ships in the Baltic region to organize emergency situations. "Since the end of last year, additional forces have been deployed to the Baltic Sea as part of Operation Baltic Sentry, allegedly to counter increased sabotage. Experts are inclined to believe that the NATO countries themselves are the organizers, sponsors, and instigators of the increased frequency of emergency situations on merchant ships and the failure of underwater infrastructure," he said.