#Baltic Sea patrols

[latestnews-now]

Poland is taking bold steps to fortify its eastern borders, ensuring security against potential threats. Prime Minister Donald Tusk visited the border with Kaliningrad to inspect the groundbreaking "East Shield" project. Learn how this massive $2.5 billion initiative will safeguard Poland and NATO allies. Stay tuned for a full breakdown of this historic defense effort.

[tomorrowusa]

Undersea telecom cables in the Baltic Sea connecting NATO members have been intentionally damaged. Russia is suspected of involvement.

Poland has suggested a regional effort to patrol the Baltic to reduce acts of sabotage.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Wednesday he wanted to launch a “navy policing” program to secure the Baltic Sea against Russian threats. Speaking to reporters in Warsaw ahead of a summit of Nordic and Baltic leaders in Sweden, Tusk said the initiative would be “a joint venture of countries located at the Baltic Sea, which have the same sense of threat posed by Russia.” "If Europe is united, then Russia is a technological, financial and economic dwarf in relation to Europe,” he added. “But if Europe is divided, Russia poses a threat to each and every European country individually.”

A fragmented Europe is easy prey for Putin. Countries in the region need to act together to ward off acts of terrorism.

The suggestion comes after a 1,000-kilometer-long undersea telecoms cable linking Finland and Germany, and another connecting Sweden to Lithuania were severed last week. A Chinese-flagged ship that departed Russia and sailed through the Baltic Sea is suspected of being involved.

The Baltic Sea is accessible only through Danish waters or through Germany's Kiel Canal.

Any country which isn't playing nice could theoretically see its access to the sea restricted.

[dostoyevsky-official]

Denmark will scrap plans to build new patrol and environmental vessels for the Baltic Sea and instead design ships to carry out tasks around Greenland. Danish lawmakers initially agreed in 2021 to design new navy ships for patrolling and clean-up operations for environmental accidents in the Baltic Sea. The project will now be shifted to focus on acquiring vessels equipped for tasks around Greenland, the defense ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. “We are in a significantly changed security situation,” Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said, adding that a replacement for the existing fleet of “aging” Thetis-class ships in Greenland was needed.

denmark is reorienting from the non-existent russian threat to the more pressing american security threat

[usafphantom2]

8 April 1950. Four Soviet Lavochkin La-11 (long-range piston-engine fighters) attacked and shot down American PB4Y-2 Privateer ´Turbulent Turtle´ of the Patrol Squadron 26 (VP-26) performing a signal intelligence mission over the Baltic Sea. All ten crewmen killed.

@ron_eisele via X

[follow-up-news]

With its powerful camera, the French Navy surveillance plane scouring the Baltic Sea zoomed in on a cargo ship plowing the waters below — closer, closer and closer still until the camera operator could make out details on the vessel’s front deck and smoke pouring from its chimney. The long-range Atlantique 2 aircraft on a new mission for NATO then shifted its high-tech gaze onto another target, and another after that until, after more than five hours on patrol, the plane’s array of sensors had scoped out the bulk of the Baltic — from Germany in the west to Estonia in the northeast, bordering Russia. The flight’s mere presence in the skies above the strategic sea last week, combined with military ships patrolling on the waters, also sent an unmistakable message: The NATO alliance is ratcheting up its guard against suspected attempts to sabotage underwater energy and data cables and pipelines that crisscross the Baltic, prompted by a growing catalogue of incidents that have damaged them.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Verdict concerning urinating at the beach of the Baltic Sea

A man emptied his bladder in the protection of the dark and was confronted by watchful upholders of law and order. The case went to court - and the judges felt challenged to show their craft.

It is one of the advantages of nature that your view of the magnificent landscape is not obstructed by an outside toilet. That's why you simply have no choice but to pee outdoors every now and then. Under the cover of a bush, tree, hill or even the night, an unproblematic affair that should not upset anyone.

Something like that may have gone through the thoughts of the wild wee'er who removed himself about twenty meters from his friends gathered on the Baltic Sea beach in a summer night of July 2022 and urinated protected by the darkness – the act was committed around 00:36 – with his back facing the beach towards the water. Children building sand castles or girls playing volleyball were not active at this time. Nor was the beach frequented by walkers. However, law enforcement officers of the city of Lübeck armed with flashlights patrolled the beach, who confronted the perpetrator – but only after he had emptied his bladder, order must prevail. The man was supposed to pay sixty euros for the administrative offense of "annoyance of the general public by a grossly indecent action", which the man refused to pay. The case went to the district court of Lübeck.

Among other things, the question whether the wild wee'er had violated the public sense of shame was on the table. The court found: no. The person concerned had entrusted himself to the protection of the darkness and did not have to expect to be suddenly illuminated with flashlights and to be approached in a targeted manner. It has to be redounded to the district court's credit that it has also kept an eye on the geographical peculiarities. "The fact that there were no other ways to retreat behind landscape features at the drift line of the Baltic Sea, unlike in mountains and at forest edges, except to turn away, cannot be stacked against the person concerned. That's how it is at the coast."

Yes, that's the way it is at the coast. Continue in the court text, on to the next setback for the Hanseatic city of Lübeck. According to the district court, no discommoding pollution or impairment by odor had occurred. The Baltic Sea is not a puddle, the wild wee'er had determined correctly. The court has researched that it contains "an amount of 21,631 cubic kilometers of brackish water. The degree of dilution would be so high that even in the event of a repeat or imitation a discommoding pollution or impairment by odor is impossible."

Finally, the district court comes to the beautiful, almost poetically formulated judgment that under the vastness of the firmament, man has no less rights than the deer in the forest, the rabbit in the field or the seal at the drift line of the Baltic Sea. And since, in case of doubt, we are sometimes deer, rabbits or seals, depending on the region, the state treasury has to bear the costs of the legal proceedings and the expenses of the person concerned.

[beardedmrbean]

Two families in East Germany, longing for freedom, built their own hot air balloon out of masses of taffeta, bought secretly in preparations that took more than a year.

They planned to flee and cross into West Germany in a daring plan put into action in September 1979.

They set out in their craft on a moonlit September night - after a failed attempt when they ran out of gas in the air and crashed into the bushes below.

However, they managed to reach the West in their second try, making it out of the country in a highly dramatic feat just before the East German police caught up with them.

The two families were dicing with death, as guards protecting the border in East Germany, then part of the Eastern Bloc, were ordered to use lethal force to prevent people defecting to the West.

The inner German border and the Berlin Wall were heavily fortified with watchtowers, land mines, armed soldiers and other measures to prevent illegal crossings.

"We didn't know anything about ballooning," says Günter Wetzel, 69, from one of the two families who managed to flee in their homemade balloon, who researched at length after a television programme provided inspiration.

When asked whether his dreams have been fulfilled in his new home, he replies soberly, "What do you mean by dreams?" Wetzel, who retrained as a car mechanic, was sure it would all work out.

His story was later made into several films. His character was played by US star Beau Bridges in the Disney film "Nightcrossing" and by David Kross in a German movie called "Balloon" (2018).

Sadly the films did not make him rich, however. "We were naive," he says, looking back.

Exploring the former death strip

A sign located on what used to be East Germany's infamous death strip now tells visitors about the balloon flight, known worldwide for its boldness.

Following World War II, Germany was divided for decades, separated by a lengthy border that can now be walked by hikers.

Where the death strip ran along the inner German border, there is now a green belt between the Saxon-Bavarian Vogtland region and the Baltic Sea.

Day trippers are drawn by the combination of forests, moorland, rivers, heathland and low mountain ranges.

Hiking journalist Thorsten Hoyer has covered 1,250 kilometres of the roughly 1,400-kilometre-long green belt in less than a month, but he does not recommend it, saying, "70% of it is over concrete and asphalt."

Nature is working on reclaiming the terrain, but has not yet managed completely.

The route is modelled on the Kolonnenweg on the east side, where the former East Germany border guards patrolled over perforated slabs.

Today, there is greenery everywhere along the path - though less in the way of tourist infrastructure and in places, there could be better signposting.

So it is better if cyclists and hikers focus on select routes, perhaps in the Franconian Forest where the states of Bavaria and Thuringia meet.

'Little Berlin'

The river Saale, once a border, flows leisurely along and builds up to a smooth surface near Hirschberg and is lined with trees and bushes, while canoeists rush over a weir. If you cycle along the colonnade path, watch out for the wide depressions in the concrete.

The situation eases on a forest path and the little road to Mödlareuth. Here, Americans used to call the village "Little Berlin."

Just like the German capital, Mödlareuth was divided by a wall and you can still visit the German-German Museum which has a memorial to the separation of the country. Visitors can also see a section of the Wall, and watchtowers and barbed wire fences bear witness to the painful division.

Britt Hornig, who is currently wandering through the museum grounds, is deeply moved and agitated. She used to work as a paediatric nurse in East Germany. "There can't be anything like this again. That was my childhood, my youth. It was absolute madness what they did to us."

"I went to the demonstrations in Leipzig every week and fought for freedom until the Wall came down."

Otto Oeder, a former border policeman and now 79 years old, also recalls the division. "I thought the world ended there," he says, describing his deployment on the Bavarian side of the Iron Curtain.

He wrote and published his book about those divided years, recalling refugees who made it through. "At our police station, we first dressed them in dry clothes, donated by us, not paid for by the state."

He also set up a regular meeting point in a pub for people who had crossed the border and could share their anecdotes. Anyone loyal to the East German regime was unwelcome.

Hiking through the past

Frankenwald-Steigla is the name of a network of circular hiking trails in the Franconian Forest, three of which illustrate the German-German past.

The Wetzsteinmacher trail, 5.3 kilometres long and starting below Lauenstein Castle, leads up to the Thüringer Warte. It is a viewing tower on the summit of the Ratzenberg and provides a fantastic vantage point to survey the area. Climb 117 steps and you can take in a view of the forests of the Thuringian-Franconian Slate Mountains.

Other climbs include the challenging Grenzer-Weg trail - 16.8 kilometres from Carlsgrün - and the moderate, recently inaugurated 10-kilometre Grünes Band trail, which starts in Mitwitz.

Along the way, a stream babbles and cuckoo calls echo through the forest. You can hear birdsong, while dewdrops sparkle like pearls on blades of grass. Dragonflies dance in the sun and it is so peaceful that you cannot imagine anything ever happened here.

[offeringofsky]

Image Credit: Max Scheler, Border of Heringsdorf, Usedom, 1964

On the Heringsdorf Border, 1964

Barbed wire strung along the Oder-Neisse Line carries on right into the sea In ‘64 East Germany to one side and Poland to the other No good choices One side as poor as the other One side as occupied as the other One side as cruel as the other

We stood ankle deep in the Baltic Contemplating the sea and the exchange of tyrants At the Potsdam conference in ’45

As far as borders go The fence was slovenly and careless You could crawl under here and there You could swim out into the sea

Steal around it and cross easily to

The other side

But patrols caught no one crossing here Cause neither side was free.

[awesome-casuallyfamouscollector]

Latvian Skrunda class patrol boat P-08 Jelgava and Latvian Air Force's UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter during military exercise recently in the Baltic Sea. Source: lsm.lv

P.S. Latvia will support the enhanced surveillance of underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea by NATO and the Joint Expeditionary Force, involving the National Armed Forces (NBS) Navy, Air Force and, if necessary, units from the State Border Guard and the State Police, subordinate authorities of the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Defense (AM) said on January 13.

[mariacallous]

By the end of the week, NATO will deploy “about 10” ships to guard underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, according to Yle, Finland's national public broadcaster. Finnish and Estonian ships will be primarily responsible for patrols, while vessels from other NATO members will be stationed near energy and communication cables. The deployment fulfills a promise by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on December 27 to “enhance [NATO’s] military presence in the Baltic Sea.”

The Swedish submarine rescue ship HSwMS Belos recently discovered and retrieved the anchor of the tanker Eagle S from the bottom of the Gulf of Finland. On January 3, a Finnish court upheld the seizure of the Eagle S, which is suspected of damaging the Finnish-Estonian Estlink 2 undersea power line and four telecommunications cables by dragging its anchor line on the seabed over “several tens of kilometers.” Finnish officials also believe the ship belongs to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” of tankers carrying Russian crude sold above the West's $60-per-barrel price cap.

Undersea cables in the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland have suffered damage on three separate occasions in recent months. In addition to this most recent incident, a communication cable connecting Sweden, Lithuania, Finland, and Germany was damaged in November. In October 2023, the Balticconnector gas pipeline and communication cables were also damaged.

[maximumphilosopheranchor]

What if Ukraine falls, emboldening Putin to pursue further expansion into the other former Soviet Union states that, in his view, belong in the Russian empire? Will Nato truly honour its pledge to collective security, or is that promise nothing but hollow rhetoric? The fact is, Nato’s resilience is more fragile than we think. And a victory for Putin could see the world’s most successful alliance begin to crumble. The strength of Nato lies not only in its military prowess but in its unwavering commitment to collective defence, enshrined in Article 5. Yet Article 5 merely compels members to contemplate a response. “The Parties agree that … if such an armed attack occurs, each of them … will take action as it deems necessary…” – that’s all that Article 5 says. That action could mean anything from sending a warship to patrol an incursion, to merely expressing deep concern. Nato Eastern flank countries, such as Estonia and Poland, are on a war footing, shaming Nato up by doing much more than is formally required. Estonia is well ahead of its Nato allies in the 3% GDP defence spending, and Poland in particular is bracing itself for potential war with Russia. According to Polish military sources, there is no intention to wait for Russian boots to step onto Poland’s soil; the war could very well begin on Russian territory itself. Should Ukraine fall, and Russia’s aggression turn toward Nato allies like the Baltic states or Poland, expect to see Nato be fragmented, or even replaced, by those countries who cannot afford to be left exposed by the weaknesses of their so-called allies. Recent statements from Poland’s defence counterintelligence chief, Jaroslaw Strozyk, underscore that Putin is fully prepared for a small-scale military operation in Eastern territories, targeting, for example, the Estonian municipality Narva or encroaching on one of the Swedish islands. It is noteworthy that the Swedish Navy recently accused Russian ‘shadow’ oil tankers navigating through the Baltic Sea of engaging in espionage, gathering information on operations in the port of the island of Gotland under the guise of ‘emergency docking’. Gotland holds strategic significance for the regional security of Northern Europe and is crucial for the defence of neighbouring Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and Poland. Poland’s intelligence concerns were echoed by those of Estonian, German and the UK officials. It is clear that Putin is only being held off in his intentions by the West’s strong resolve in supporting Ukraine. If that resolve shatters, the likelihood of an imminent Russian attack on Nato would grow exponentially, and the implications would be profound. With existing divisions within Nato, particularly evident in disagreements over matters such as Sweden’s potential accession to the alliance, it’s likely that many member states would prioritise their own defence over that of their weaker allies.

[cyberbenb]

Russian sensors found tracking UK nuclear submarines, Sunday Times reports

Russian sensors, believed to be part of an effort to spy on the U.K.’s nuclear submarines, have been discovered concealed in the waters surrounding Britain, the Sunday Times reported on April 5.

The U.K. military has discovered several of these sensors after they washed ashore, with more identified by the Royal Navy. These devices are believed to have been planted by Moscow in an effort to gather intelligence on the U.K.’s four Vanguard submarines, which carry nuclear missiles as part of Britain’s continuous at-sea deterrent.

“There should be no doubt, there is a war raging in the Atlantic. This is a game of cat and mouse that has continued since the ending of the Cold War, and is now heating up again. We are seeing phenomenal amounts of Russian activity,” senior serving British military official told the Sunday Times.

The country’s Defense Ministry (MoD) has kept details about the discovery secret, and the  Sunday Times decided not to publish information on the sensors' locations.

Russia’s underwater surveillance efforts have extended beyond sensors. The Sunday Times investigation reveals that unmanned Russian vehicles have been found near deep-sea communications cables, and there is credible intelligence suggesting that superyachts owned by Russian oligarchs may have been used for underwater reconnaissance.

Russia’s Baltic Sea sabotage is no accident, it’s strategy

Intelligence officials in the U.S. and Europe have suggested that recent incidents damaging critical cables in the Baltic Sea were accidental, according to a Washington Post report. Western geostrategic self-deception has overly emphasized fears of escalation and cornering Russia. It would be naïve…

The Kyiv IndependentMika Aaltola

The MoD has also discovered other sensors on the sea bed, raising concerns about Russia’s ability to monitor the movements of the U.K.’s nuclear submarines. While the U.K. has ramped up its surveillance efforts, senior military figures stress the need for further investment in underwater defense capabilities.

The investigation suggests that Russia’s military program, particularly its deep-sea research vessel Yantar, poses a significant threat to Britain’s critical underwater infrastructure. The Yantar, equipped with unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and mini-submarines, has been spotted near vital internet cables and data centers.

According to Royal Navy sources, the Yantar’s presence in U.K. waters signals Russia’s escalating efforts to infiltrate vital communication lines and military cables.

The U.K.’s response includes the deployment of the RFA Proteus, a deep-sea surveillance vessel, tasked with countering Russian threats in domestic waters. The Proteus, operational since 2023, is the only surface ship capable of patrolling the deep-sea areas where Russia’s most advanced threats, such as nuclear-powered mini-submarines, could be lurking.

As Russia refuses to accept ceasefire, will Trump pressure Moscow?

Three weeks ago, Ukraine and the U.S. agreed to implement a full 30-day ceasefire. Russia declined to do so, issuing a list of demands instead. On April 4, Russia hit a residential neighborhood in the city of Kryvyi Rih with ballistic missiles and drones, killing 19 people, including nine

The Kyiv IndependentOleg Sukhov

[usafphantom2]

NATO intensifies patrols in the Baltic Sea after damage to submarine infrastructure

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 10/20/2023 - 4:00 p.m. in Military

NATO and the Allies are intensifying patrols in the Baltic Sea, following the recent damage caused to the region's submarine infrastructure.

The added measures include additional surveillance and reconnaissance flights, namely with maritime patrol aircraft, NATO AWACS aircraft and drones. A fleet of four NATO mine hunters is also being sent to the area.

“We continue to closely monitor the situation and are maintaining direct contact with our allies in Estonia and Finland, and with our partner Sweden,” said interim NATO spokesman Dylan White. “NATO will continue to adapt its maritime posture in the Baltic Sea and will take all necessary measures to keep the Allies safe.”

Since the sabotage of the Nord Stream in September 2022, NATO has intensified patrols near critical submarine infrastructure and promoted technological innovation - including with drones - to better detect any suspicious activity. Earlier this year, NATO created an underwater infrastructure coordination cell to deepen ties between governments, military, industrial actors and NATO, and since then created the NATO Maritime Center for the Security of Critical Underwater Infrastructures under the NATO Maritime Command.

Tags: Military AviationAWACSNATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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[xtruss]

Breaking The Ice 🧊: How Russia’s Nuclear Fleet Outpaces Rivals!

The Cold War Never Ended – It Just Moved To The Arctic And Got Nuclear

© RT/RT

In late March, at the VI Arctic Forum held in Murmansk, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared Moscow’s commitment to expanding its fleet of nuclear icebreakers.

“Russia already possesses the largest icebreaker fleet globally,” Putin noted. “We must further solidify our position by commissioning advanced icebreakers, particularly nuclear-powered vessels uniquely available to us.” He emphasized that “no other nation has a comparable fleet.”

But what exactly can Russia’s Arctic fleet accomplish?

A New Generation

This Wednesday, the fourth nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 22220, the 'Yakutia', completed sea trials and departed for operations along the Northern Sea Route (NSR).

The 'Yakutia' ranks among the world’s most powerful nuclear icebreakers. The construction of Project 22220 icebreakers began in 2013, with plans to build at least seven ships. Three vessels – the 'Arktika', 'Siberia', and 'Ural' – have already entered service. The lead ship, the 'Arktika', was commissioned in 2020, becoming a flagship of Russia’s contemporary Arctic exploration efforts. It was followed by the 'Siberia' in 2021 and 'Ural' in 2022. Two additional ships, the 'Chukotka' and 'Kamchatka', are currently under construction, and the keel for a seventh vessel, the 'Sakhalin', will be laid later this year. These icebreakers are constructed at the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg, funded by Rosatom’s Atomflot with state support.

Advanced nuclear icebreakers such as the 'Yakutia' are specifically engineered for harsh Arctic conditions, and are capable of breaking ice up to three meters thick. Their unique hull designs enhance maneuverability in extreme cold and dense ice environments. Equipped with two nuclear reactors generating a combined 60 megawatts, they can operate autonomously for several months.

Today, these vessels represent the most powerful and efficient icebreakers worldwide. Importantly, Russia has significantly reduced reliance on imported components, with domestically produced parts comprising 92% of each ship. Ultimately, Russia aims for complete self-sufficiency in producing all components for future nuclear icebreakers.

Project 22220 icebreakers are versatile, designed for both open ocean and river channel navigation. Their design integrates the strengths of previous-generation vessels, such as the ocean-going 'Arktika' and the river-focused 'Taimyr'. Adjustable ballast tanks can be filled with seawater to increase draft and enhance icebreaking capability.

'Yakutia'-class icebreakers are intended to replace older ships nearing the end of their operational lives. As the newer icebreakers enter service, older vessels such as the 'Taimyr', 'Vaigach', and 'Yamal' will eventually be decommissioned. While their operational lifespan has been extended until 2027, these aging icebreakers will ultimately be succeeded by more advanced and powerful vessels.

What’s At Stake?

Currently, Russia’s Atomflot operates nine nuclear icebreakers: the nuclear-powered transport ship 'Sevmorput', two river-class icebreakers ('Taimyr' and 'Vaigach'), sea-class icebreakers such as the 'Yamal' and the Project 10521 “50 Years of Victory,” alongside the latest Project 22220 vessels.

These ships support Russia’s rapid Arctic development and establish navigable shipping routes from Murmansk to Kamchatka along the NSR. Characteristics of Atomflot icebreakers © RT/RT

Beyond nuclear icebreakers, Russia maintains conventional icebreakers and is constructing four non-nuclear, ice-class Project 23550 patrol vessels. This robust fleet significantly enhances Russia’s capabilities for year-round maritime navigation in the Arctic, securing conventional shipping and safeguarding national interests in the region.

Why The Arctic Matters

The Arctic region holds vast reserves of natural resources – oil, gas, minerals, and fisheries – which could significantly impact the global economy. Additionally, it offers strategic advantages for developing transcontinental shipping routes. Russia’s Northern Sea Route could substantially shorten trade distances between Europe and Asia, connecting China, Japan, Europe, and the US East Coast. Nuclear icebreakers are essential for safely guiding vessels through Arctic ice.

Recently, the United States raised discussions regarding Greenland’s geopolitical status. Clearly, the US, having fallen behind in Arctic exploration, seeks solutions to regain influence. Greenland, an autonomous territory within Denmark, holds strategic importance in the Arctic. In a world increasingly driven by resource access and shipping lanes, major powers such as the US aim to strengthen their presence, particularly amid rising activity by Russia and China.

However, the US currently lacks a nuclear icebreaker fleet comparable to Russia’s and faces challenges even with conventional icebreakers, which severely limits its Arctic capabilities. Resolving Greenland’s status alone won’t overcome this strategic disadvantage. To effectively compete in the Arctic, the US would require substantial long-term investments to build an advanced icebreaker fleet, ensuring access to Arctic routes and resources.

Recognizing this, in 2020, the US announced plans to construct a new nuclear-powered icebreaker to strengthen its Arctic presence. Yet, while Russia’s nuclear icebreaker fleet is already operational, the US remains in the early planning stages.

Perhaps international cooperation offers a viable alternative, but such partnerships must be mutually beneficial. Is the US prepared for collaboration, and would Russia be interested? These remain critical questions for Arctic geopolitics.

— By Dmitry Kornev, Military Expert, Founder and Author of the MilitaryRussia Project

[head-post]

Baltic Sea internet cables cut: NATO found no evidence of Russia’s involvement

An investigation into cable damage in the Baltic Sea in 2024 has found no evidence that Russia was involved, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing sources.

According to officials familiar with the investigation, no evidence has been found that Moscow ordered or organised the destruction, although suspicions are high in NATO countries, according the the WSJ.

NATO set up the task force last year as part of a mission to patrol the inland seas that its members share with Russia. In January, the alliance launched Operation Baltic Sentry after a number of undersea cables and pipelines were damaged by vessels, many of which were linked to Russia.

The mission utilises naval, coast guard and police force ships from the eight alliance countries bordering the Baltic, as well as new underwater drones. In addition, NATO reconnaissance aircraft from the US, France, Germany and sometimes the UK take turns scanning the sea lane from altitude.

Many of the units involved were already performing similar duties. Now they are communicating and co-operating much more, the WSJ reports.

Belgian Navy Commander Eric Kockx, who heads the task force as part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s Inland Sea Defence mission, admitted doubts about the alliance’s increased presence in the Baltic Sea in a conversation with the WSJ.

“It’s hard to say that if we hadn’t been there, something would have occurred,” Kockx said.

No evidence found

The WSJ also reported on March 8 that after the Estlink 2 cable was damaged in the Baltic Sea, NATO was never able to find evidence of the alleged sabotage.

After the incident, “the real work” began, during which, the newspaper reported, the Finnish authorities were looking for evidence that could confirm sabotage. Thus, Finnish law enforcement officials questioned the crew, searched the ship and examined the anchor, which had come off its chain during the incident.

Sources familiar with the investigation said that the possibility of an accidental dropping of the anchor was virtually ruled out, and one of the explanations for the incident could be gross negligence. Deliberate action cannot be ruled out either, but there is no evidence to support this, they said.

Read more HERE

[newtras]

A NATO plane monitors Russia and misses Russia in the Baltic Sea

The French sea sea patrol plane landed rapidly through the clouds, falls almost at the level of 900 feet above the Baltic Sea, almost waves waves. The target, the side of the plane, the dark gray light was a Russian warship that appears against a gray horizon. In an Atlantique 2 of the French Navy, it was designed to hunt submarines and other enemy marine crafts, but today was empty with the…