This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission.
NATO and EU leaders agreed to launch a monitoring mission of the Baltic Sea in the wake of several “serious incidents” damaging critical undersea infrastructure, some of which are suspected to involve vessels that form part of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.
At a meeting in Helsinki on January 14, leaders from eight Baltic Sea nations and the military alliance’s leader, Mark Rutte, announced the Baltic Sentry mission that will “deploy additional assets at sea, in the air, on land, and below the surface of the sea to enhance vigilance and deterrence.”
“Combating breakage of undersea cables and pipelines represents a global problem,” the group said in a joint declaration.
“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. 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.”
NATO said in late December it would increase its presence in the region following the suspected sabotage of cables between Finland and Estonia.
Several undersea telecommunications and power cables have been damaged in the Baltic Sea since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Experts and politicians have blamed vessels in Russia’s “shadow fleet” of aging oil tankers. The Kremlin denies any involvement.
Rutte told members of the European Parliament on January 13 that “such hostile actions” will not go unanswered, promising to strengthen NATO’s military presence in the region.
The first major incidence of sabotage of infrastructure occurred in September 2022 when a series of underwater blasts ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines built to carry Russian gas to Europe. The cause has yet to be determined.
An undersea gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia was shut down in October 2023 after it was damaged by the anchor of a Chinese cargo ship.
The most recent incident occurred on December 25 when the Estlink 2 electricity cable and four telecom cables linking Finland and Estonia were damaged.
That came just weeks after two telecom cables in Swedish waters were severed on November 17-18.
Suspicion over the December 25 incident has fallen on the Eagle S, a Cook Island-flagged oil tanker believed to be part of Russia’s “shadow fleet.” Investigators suspect the cables were damaged when the tanker dragged its anchor over them.
Finnish police seized the Eagle S as part of a criminal investigation, and Finnish authorities last week deemed the ship unseaworthy following an inspection. They barred it from sailing and banned eight crew members from leaving the country pending the investigation.
The meeting in Helsinki included the heads of state and government from Finland, Estonia, Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden, as well as Rutte and other NATO officials.