The strategy follows a series of suspected sabotage attacks on telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea in recent months carried out by a fleet of tankers and vessels linked to Russia.

The Baltic Sea operation in the region bordering Russia comes as European fears of sabotage mount after a string of disruptions to underwater cables.

NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region after a string of incidents that have heightened concerns about possible Russian activities, the alliance’s leader said.