At a summit of Baltic Sea NATO members held in Helsinki on 14 January, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte declared the initiation of a new military operation by the Alliance aimed at bolstering the security of critical infrastructure.
The operation, named “Baltic Sentry,” is designed to augment NATO’s military footprint in the Baltic Sea and enhance the capacity of Allies to react to destabilizing actions and comes in response to damage to undersea cables connecting Estonia and Finland on 25 December.
Baltic Sentry which aims to deter any future attempts by a state or non-state actor to damage critical undersea infrastructure in the region will be overseen by Allied Command Operations (ACO) which is responsible for the planning and execution of all NATO operations.
Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum (JFCBS) will lead the Baltic Sentry operation for ACO, coordinating its activities across multiple domains, with Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM) playing a pivotal role in maritime operations. The NATO Maritime Centre for Security of Critical Underwater Infrastructure (NMCSCUI), which serves as a networking and knowledge hub located at MARCOM, will support ACO and NATO Allies in decision-making and coordinating actions related to the protection and response to critical underwater infrastructure.
Although Baltic Sentry is a new initiative, NATO Forces maintain a continuous presence in the Baltic Sea, engaging in regular patrols and joint exercises to bolster readiness. Allied naval vessels, submarines, and aircraft, enhanced by sophisticated maritime surveillance technologies, are tasked with monitoring the waters in this region and beyond.
“Baltic Sentry will deliver focused deterrence throughout the Baltic Sea and counter destabilizing acts like those observed last month,” said US Army General Christopher G. Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe. “It is indicative of the Alliance’s ability to rapidly respond to such destabilization, and shows the strength of our unity in the face of any challenge.”
Mark Rutte stated: “by working together with all Allies – we will do what it takes to ensure the safety and security not only of our critical infrastructure but of all that we hold dear.”
“Ship captains must understand that potential threats to our infrastructure will have consequences, including possible boarding, impounding, and arrest.”
On 25 December, the EstLink 2 underwater electricity cable between Finland and Estonia was damaged in a suspected act of sabotage. Finnish authorities secured an oil tanker sailing under a Cook Islands flag, which it believes to be part of a Russian ‘shadow fleet’ transporting embargoed hydrocarbons. Helsinki suspects the ship, the Eagle S, of being involved in the damaging of the cable.
