NATO has unveiled a new initiative, dubbed “Baltic Sentry,” to safeguard undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea following several incidents involving suspected Russian sabotage and espionage.
Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced the mission during a meeting with Baltic leaders in Helsinki, citing the increasing threat posed by damage to power lines, telecom cables, and pipelines in the region.
The Baltic Sentry mission will deploy frigates, maritime patrol aircraft, and naval drones to enhance surveillance and deter potential threats.
Member states, including Finland, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Sweden, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, also agreed to deploy advanced surveillance and tracking technologies, strengthen partnerships with private sector entities, such as infrastructure operators and technology firms, and develop legal frameworks to address rogue ships while maintaining freedom of navigation as part of the mission.
NATO leaders emphasized the importance of protecting the region’s critical infrastructure, as undersea cables carry over 95% of internet traffic and facilitate an estimated $10 trillion in daily financial transactions.
Germany and Sweden have committed naval assets to the mission. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that Germany would provide ships and surveillance planes, while Sweden plans to deploy three warships to increase patrols in the Baltic.
The announcement follows a series of high-profile incidents in the Baltic Sea. Finnish authorities are currently investigating whether the Russian-linked tanker Eagle S caused damage to the Finnish-Estonian Estlink 2 power line and four telecom cables in December 2024.
