NATO intends on increasing forces in Baltic Sea following suspected cable sabotage
Date
1/3/2025 12:23:08 PM
(MENAFN) NATO has announced plans to boost its military presence in the Baltic Sea after a series of undersea cable disruptions. The decision came after NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte held a phone conversation with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Friday. Finland has launched an investigation into the damage caused to the Estlink 2 power cable earlier this week. Rutte expressed NATO’s full support for Finland, condemning any attacks on critical infrastructure and confirming that the alliance would enhance its military activities in the region.
NATO regularly conducts naval exercises in the Baltic Sea and air-policing missions involving fighter jets near Russia's borders. Since 2014, the alliance has steadily increased its presence on its eastern flank due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The Estlink 2 cable, which connects Finland and Estonia, was damaged on Christmas Day, and on Wednesday, the Finnish Border Guard seized a Russian oil tanker, the Eagle S, suspecting its anchors had caused the damage. Finnish media reported that the ship had made unusual maneuvers while passing over the cable.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s top diplomat, suggested that the detained vessel was part of a "shadow fleet" used by Russia to bypass oil sanctions. Russia has yet to comment on the incident but has previously condemned the sanctions. Last month, two additional cables in the Baltic Sea were severed, leading to suspicions that a Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3, may have been involved. China has denied Sweden's accusations that it failed to cooperate with the investigation.
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