NATO to deploy two ships for Baltic Sea patrols amid growing security concerns

NATO will deploy two ships to patrol the Baltic Sea in a move aimed at ensuring the security of underwater infrastructure, Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen announced at a press conference.

Valtonen expressed support for the decision, highlighting the stabilizing and calming effect of an increased NATO presence in the region, Caliber.Az reports per Russian media. 

"A larger NATO presence has a calming and stabilizing effect. We are very happy that this decision has been taken," she said. 

The deployment comes amid concerns over Russia’s alleged "shadow fleet," which is believed to pose a potential threat to critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. These developments reflect heightened security fears in the region, particularly following rising tensions in Europe.

Following an incident involving the damage of the EstLink 2 energy cable, Finnish President Alexander Stubb called on NATO to bolster its presence near critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

The EstLink 2 cable, which runs along the seabed of the Gulf of Finland between Finland and Estonia, was disconnected in an emergency on December 25.

In response, Finnish authorities detained the Cook Islands-flagged Eagle S on suspicion of being involved in the cable's damage. The tanker, along with its crew, is currently docked in the port of Sjöldvik, east of Helsinki, while Finnish police and customs continue their investigation. The incident has been classified as sabotage, marking a significant violation of regulatory standards.

Reports by Postimees, an Estonian newspaper, revealed that three cables between Finland and Estonia were damaged, raising further concerns about the security of undersea infrastructure in the region. The investigation into the event is ongoing, and the Finnish government is taking steps to address the potential threat to critical energy infrastructure.

By Vafa Guliyeva