NATO launched 'Baltic Sentry', a new naval mission to prevent attacks on cable infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. The alliance says Russia is to blame for recent incidents, but can increased NATO patrols make a difference?

Baltic Sea NATO member countries plan to discuss security in the region at a summit in Helsinki on Tuesday that comes in the wake of a number of recent acts of suspected sabotage at sea. The main purpose of the summit is to find ways to better protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea and to counter the threat posed by the so-called Russian shadow fleet.

The C-Lion1 submarine telecommunications cable is being laid to the bottom of the Baltic Sea by cable ship Ile de Brehat on the shore of Helsinki, Finland [File: Lehtikuva/Heikki Saukkomaa/via ...

Finnish President Alexander Stubb co-hosted the Baltic Sea Nato Allies Summit alongside Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal in Helsinki on Tuesday. The summit brought together the leaders of the eight Nato nations with a Baltic Sea coastline.

The incidents contributed to mounting European fears of sabotage, as NATO officials accuse Russia of a growing “destabilization campaign” over their military support for Ukraine and sanctions against Moscow.

Lithuania's president says his country has made the decision to raise its spending on defense to between 5% and 6% of overall national economic output starting in 2026.

HELSINKI (Reuters) -Crew on board an oil tanker accused of sabotaging undersea power and communications cables in the Baltic Sea were poised to cut other cables and pipelines when Finnish authorities boarded the vessel last month,

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says the alliance is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region.

European nations must be prepared to face further incidents in the Baltic Sea following the recent damage to undersea infrastructure, leaders of NATO countries in the region said on Tuesday ahead of a security meeting in Helsinki.

NATO launched a new Baltic Sea mission that will add military capabilities into the strategic waterway as concerns over suspected Russian sabotage and aggression in the area ratchet up.

Identifying suspect ships and limiting their activities is the most efficient way to protect critical undersea infrastructure, European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen told Reuters on Monday.