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Following a number of” major incidents” causing harm to important undersea infrastructure, some of which are thought to involve vessels that make up Russia’s so-called shadow ship, NATO and EU leaders agreed to launch a surveillance mission in the Baltic Sea.
Leaders of eight Baltic Sea countries and Mark Rutte, the head of the military alliance, made the announcement at a conference in Helsinki on January 14 that the Baltic Sentry vision did “deploy more assets at sea, in the air, on land, and below the surface of the water to increase attention and punishment.”
” Combating breaking of underwater cables and pipes represents a worldwide problem”, the team said in a , joint declaration.
The use of the so-called shadow fleet by Russia poses a certain threat to maritime and economic security in the Baltic Sea region and around the world. This repugnant behavior also threatens the security of underwater infrastructure, raises the risk of sea-damaged chemical weapons, and significantly contributes to Russia’s improper hostility against Ukraine.
Following the alleged damage of cords between Finland and Estonia, NATO announced in later December that it would improve its appearance there.
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, a number of underwater communications and power cords have been damaged in the Baltic Sea. Professionals and politicians have blamed warships in Russia’s” dark ship” of aging oil tankers. The Kremlin denies any engagement.
Rutte told members of the European Parliament on January 13 that” for angry behavior” will not go unresolved, promising to develop NATO’s military presence in the region.
The second significant act of equipment damage took place in September of 2022 when a series of underground explosions shattered the Nord Stream pipes constructed to transport Russian gas to Europe. The reason has yet to be determined.
An underwater gas pipeline connecting Finland and Estonia was shut down in October 2023 after being harmed by the outlet of a Chinese goods fleet.
The most recent tragedy occurred on December 25 when four telecoms cables connecting Finland and Estonia were damaged in an Estlink 2 accident.
Two telecoms cables in Finnish waters were severed on November 17 and 18 only after receiving that news.
The Eagle S, an oil tanker with a Cook Island flag, is thought to be part of Russia’s” dark ships.” Suspicion over the December 25 affair has erupted. The wires were allegedly damaged when the ship dragged its buoy over them, according to investigators.
Following an inspection next week, Finnish authorities declared the Eagle S to be abandoned after it was taken by Finnish police as part of a judicial investigation. In the meantime, they forbade the flying of it and forbade eight members of the crew from leaving the country.
The conference in Helsinki included the heads of state and federal from Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden, as well as Rutte and another NATO leaders.
