NATO tensions rise as Russia targets Baltic patrol aircraft
A French patrol aircraft operating in international airspace over the Baltic Sea as part of a NATO observation mission was detected by the radar of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned this action, calling it "aggressive" and "unacceptable." He emphasized that the French armed forces will continue to defend freedom of navigation in international air and maritime spaces.
"This aggressive Russian action is unacceptable"
"This aggressive Russian action is unacceptable. Our armed forces will continue to act to defend freedom of navigation in international air and maritime spaces," Lecornu noted in a post on platform X.
Reuters emphasizes that NATO announced an increased presence in the Baltic Sea in December, following suspicions of sabotage involving underwater power and internet cables.
Incidents in the Baltic
After Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the number of incidents involving damage to critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea rose. A significant increase in such cases began in the fall of 2024. In November, cables between Lithuania and Sweden, as well as Finland and Germany, were severed. In December, a fiber-optic cable between Finland and Sweden was damaged, along with the EstLink 2 power cable connecting Finland and Estonia.
On January 14, 2025, Sweden's Minister of Civil Defense, Carl-Oskar Bolin, reported new damage: anchor drag marks were found on the NordBalt cable between Sweden and Lithuania. He indicated that the Chinese ship Yi Peng, suspected of causing other cable damage last fall, is involved in the incident.
In December 2024, the Finnish border guard detained the tanker Eagle S, part of the Kremlin's "shadow fleet." A broken anchor chain was discovered on board. The crew of 24 people, including citizens of India and Georgia, is suspected of causing significant material damage and disrupting telecommunications.
The United States had previously warned of increased Russian military activity near underwater cables. According to Washington, the Russian Ministry of Defense is developing diversionary operations against key NATO infrastructure.
Guardians in the Baltic: NATO's response to sabotage
In response to frequent infrastructure damage incidents, NATO announced the launch of Operation Baltic Sentry at the end of December. The alliance's Secretary General, Mark Rutte, reported that several frigates, maritime patrol planes, and next-generation drones would be deployed as part of the mission in the Baltic Sea. The operation aims to protect underwater cables and monitor the area using advanced technologies.
On January 17, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur announced plans to allow the Estonian navy to use force to protect infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
