NATO to strengthen its presence in Baltic Sea

NATO has decided to strengthen its ongoing surveillance and exercises in the Baltic Sea region, following recent damage to undersea cables.

NATO will launch a new military activity, Baltic Sentry, to enhance NATO’s presence in the Baltic Sea, prevent threats to critical undersea infrastructure and strengthen the establishing of an integrated situational picture. The enhanced presence will include, among other activities, intelligence and surveillance cooperation and NATO and Allied vessels patrolling the Baltic Sea. The activities are coordinated together with the Finnish defence administration and Estonia.

“NATO will strengthen its presence in the Baltic Sea region. This is part of the Alliance’s normal activities to improve its surveillance capabilities and establish an integrated situational picture,” says Finland’s Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen.

Finland, Estonia and NATO have recognised a need to increase the monitoring of critical undersea infrastructure. The Finnish Defence Forces will continue its activities in the Baltic Sea with capabilities in high readiness and through exercises.

“We are also planning to organise more exercises together with close allies. In addition, the Finnish Defence Forces has given other Finnish authorities executive assistance in handling the recent incident,” says Minister Häkkänen.

NATO last stepped up its presence in the Baltic Sea in 2023, following damage to the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia and to the data cable between Sweden and Estonia in October 2023.

Inquiries: Janne Kuusela, Director General, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 300. Requests for interviews with Minister Häkkänen: Antti Vesala, Special Adviser, tel. +358 50 471 0883.