Heightened Security in Baltic Sea: NATO Steps Up After Suspected Sabotage

NATO is increasing its Baltic Sea presence following suspected sabotage of undersea power cables and internet lines. Estonia has launched a naval operation to protect electricity links, while Finland seized a Russian oil ship for investigation. Recent incidents raise concerns over regional undersea infrastructure safety.

NATO announced an enhanced presence in the Baltic Sea after suspected sabotage incidents involving undersea power cables and internet lines. In response, Estonia commenced a naval operation to safeguard parallel electricity connections. This move follows Finland's seizure of a Russian oil ship thought to be involved in the disruptions.

Since the onset of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Baltic Sea nations have heightened security measures due to frequent outages affecting critical infrastructure like power cables and gas pipelines. Finnish President Alexander Stubb emphasized the need for a more robust NATO presence to Secretary General Mark Rutte, amid ongoing Finnish-led investigations.

Estonia's navy has been deployed to guard intact subsea cables as regional authorities stress the necessity of updating maritime laws to prevent further incidents. The damage to critical infrastructure underscores the ongoing vulnerabilities and amplifies calls for international cooperation to ensure security in the Baltic Sea region.

(With inputs from agencies.)