NATO has launched a new mission called Baltic Sentry, which will aim “to provide enhanced surveillance and deterrence” around the Baltic Sea.
The move was announced as regional leaders met in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, along with the military alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte.
It follows alleged acts of sabotage on underwater energy and communications infrastructure in the region, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
“[Baltic Sentry] will involve a range of assets, including frigates and maritime patrol aircraft, among others, and will enhance our vigilance in the Baltic,” Rutte told the AP press agency.
A small fleet of naval drones would also be deployed, he added.
Tuesday’s conference, which involved eight NATO states with Baltic coastlines, was called soon after an incident in December that ruptured the Estlink 2 power connection between Finland and Estonia.
Damage caused to this and other underwater energy and communication lines in the area has been linked to Russia’s so-called shadow fleet, a flotilla of old tankers reportedly used to secretly transport Russian oil and gas in defiance of international sanctions.
‘Deep concern’ around threats
In a statement issued after the Helsinki discussions, NATO countries bordering the Baltic said that they reserve the right to act against any vessels they suspect of bypassing sanctions and posing a security threat.
The leaders of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden expressed “deep concern” over the incidents and strongly condemned “acts of sabotage to critical undersea infrastructure” and recognized the need for increased defense expenditure to “address and counter evolving security threats.”
“We are determined to deter, detect and counter any attempts at sabotage,” the joint statement said. “Any attack against our infrastructure will be met with a robust and determined response. We stand ready to attribute hostile actions committed by malign actors, as appropriate.”
“Russia’s use of the so-called shadow fleet poses a particular threat to the maritime and environmental security in the Baltic Sea region and globally,” the document continued. “This reprehensible practice also threatens the integrity of undersea infrastructure, increases risks connected to sea-dumped chemical munitions, and significantly supports funding of Russia’s illegal war of aggression against Ukraine.
“We are taking robust steps to address these threats. We reserve our rights, in accordance with international law, to take action against any suspected vessels that circumvent sanctions and threaten our security, infrastructure and the environment.”
