Complete Maritime Profile & Reviews of Akademik-B.petrov

The 'Akademik Boris Petrov', a Russian research ship, embarked on its journey from Kaliningrad on August 20, 2025, sailing towards the North Sea. The Russian Ministry of Science confirmed that ten students are onboard as part of a scientific team dedicated to studying hazardous geological processes on the seabed and mapping the Kara and Laptev Seas. On August 21, the vessel was detected navigating at a reduced speed near the Adlergrund area off Rügen, in close proximity to the German Economic Zone (EEZ). Instead of maintaining its typical cruising speed of ten to twelve knots, the 'Akademik Boris Petrov' opted for a slower pace, traveling at seven to eight knots through channels surrounding wind farms. This prompted the Federal Police to initially deploy the patrol boat 'Bad Bramstedt' for surveillance, which was later relieved by the 'Neustadt' near Fehmarn. Fortunately, no abnormalities were noted during its passage from Adlergrund to the exit of the German EEZ, and no irregularities regarding its speed were observed. Operating under the auspices of the state-controlled Shirshov Institute in Moscow, the 'Akademik Boris Petrov' had previously raised eyebrows during a 2022 trip to the Netherlands, where it also cruised at a notably slow speed near underwater wind farms and submarine cables, leading to speculation about potential espionage activities related to critical infrastructure. By August 22, the research vessel had reached the Skagerrak and was on a course along the Norwegian coast by August 25, ultimately heading towards Murmansk. The route taken through the Fehmarn Belt represented a significant deviation from the more direct passage through the Øresund, which would have led it past Copenhagen. Significantly, the Fehmarn Belt and Great Belt regions are home to sensitive military installations and several submerged cables. It remains uncertain whether the 'Akademik Boris Petrov' conducted any seabed surveys or pinpointed the locations of submarine cables associated with wind farms during its transit. For additional details and images, please refer to the report here: https://www.kn-online.de/schleswig-holstein/ostsee-bei-kiel-windparks-im-visier-bundespolizei-beschattet-russisches-schiff-VIZUS4NECNCCJO6DEFW5GUZM6M.html