On the bridge of the Estonian warship Sakala, a crew member patrols the Gulf of Finland, zooming in on a Panama-flagged oil tanker 300 meters away. The tanker, departing from a Russian port and bound for Egypt, is suspected of belonging to Moscow’s “shadow fleet” — aging vessels with unclear ownership, navigating around sanctions.
The Baltic Sea nations, including eight NATO members, remain on high alert after a series of undersea power and internet cables were mysteriously severed. Estonia’s Lt. Cmdr. Meelis Kants emphasized their mission to monitor Gulf of Finland waters, where 500-600 ships pass weekly, saying, “If ships are really doing something suspicious, we will stop them.”
Estonia’s navy has intensified patrols near critical underwater infrastructure after incidents involving cable damage in late 2024. Suspicion has centered on Russian-linked vessels, prompting NATO’s Operation Baltic Sentry to deploy frigates, drones, and aircraft to safeguard the area.
While recent investigations into the damaged cables have yielded mixed conclusions on whether the incidents were sabotage or accidents, NATO’s concern over critical infrastructure remains high. Enhanced patrols focus on monitoring anomalies like misplaced anchors, sudden speed changes, or ignored radio communications.
The damaged cables, crucial for internet communication, span 1.5 million kilometers globally, with 95% of the world’s data flowing through them. Although cables frequently face damage from anchors or environmental factors, the recent clustering of incidents has raised suspicions. Finnish investigators linked a suspected Russian “shadow fleet” vessel, the Eagle S, to dragging an anchor across 100 kilometers of seabed.
Estonian navy officials, careful not to directly accuse Russia, acknowledge the heightened threat. “If we weren’t here, I don’t know what would happen,” Kants said. The presence of NATO patrols aims to deter potential sabotage, sending a clear signal of vigilance amid uncertain waters.
Source: Swifteradio.com
