Concerns mount over Russia's capability to disrupt Baltic Sea navigation

According to the Finnish security policy advisor, Russia has an array of potential actions at its disposal; one of these includes mining the sea routes in the Baltic.

In light of the situation on the eastern border, the discussion about Finland's security and potential threats from Russia is gaining traction.

Maj. Gen. Kim Mattsson, a security policy advisor and chief of the Finnish military general staff, shared his views with newspaper "Ilta-Sanomat". He points out that Russia's redirection of migrants to the Finnish border is just the tip of the iceberg. He elaborates on an extensive list of Kremlin's potential moves, which includes digital attacks, espionage, sabotage, disrupting satellite transmissions, breaking agreements, and posing significant risks to navigation in the Baltic Sea.

Mattsson presents a concerning scenario in which Russia might mine sea routes in the Baltic, thereby endangering navigation in the region and severely affecting Finnish trade. "A mine just needs to be accidentally dropped," he warns.

The Finnish general forecasts that tensions in the Baltic Sea could escalate in the future. Over the past decade, he observes a disturbing shift — the Baltic Sea has transformed from one of the world's most peaceful waters into a hotspot of tension. "It's an internal NATO sea, but Russia has certain targets in the Baltic Sea and has a substantial fleet not involved in the war in Ukraine," evaluates Mattsson.

However, the Finnish newspaper also recalls a report from last spring where Turkish services discovered three sea mines off its coast (including one situated 99 miles from Istanbul). The origins of these mines remain undetermined.