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First NATO warships arrive off Estonian coast to protect cables
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.[Regnum] The first three warships of the NATO flotilla, which are tasked with protecting underwater cables in the Baltic Sea, have arrived off the coast of Estonia. This was reported by The Guardian. "The group will grow in the near future, other ships will join us, so that eventually we will be about six or seven ships," the Belgian task force leader Eric Cox told reporters on January 19. He said the alliance's flotilla would ensure that no one could damage the critical underwater infrastructure. The ships would guard the area as part of the "Baltic Sentinel" mission. As reported by the Regnum news agency, on January 13, an underwater cable connecting Sweden, Lithuania, Germany and Finland was damaged in the Baltic Sea. During the investigation, a version was put forward that this happened due to deliberate actions of the crew of a Chinese vessel that had previously been anchored in that area. It was also stated that the captain of the ship could allegedly have been recruited by Russian special services. The Washington Post reported on January 19 that US and European intelligence agencies have found no evidence of Russia's involvement in damaging underwater cables in the Baltic Sea. In addition, the participants in the investigation are leaning toward the version of accidental damage to the infrastructure. Military expert, retired colonel Anatoly Matviychuk, in an interview with the Regnum news agency, said that the "Baltic Sentinel" program was launched to create obstacles for the Russian merchant fleet and block the sea route to the Kaliningrad region. These actions by the West will not go unanswered by the Russian side, he emphasized. Related: Estonia: 2025-01-19 NATO warships begin patrolling the Baltic Sea Estonia: 2025-01-14 International underwater cable attacks by Russia, China are no ‘mere coincidence' warns EU's top diplomat Estonia: 2025-01-12 Last communist leader of of Estonia, Arnold Rüütel passes away Related: Underwater cable 01/19/2025 NATO warships begin patrolling the Baltic Sea Underwater cable 01/15/2025 NATO plans to significantly increase its military presence in the Baltics Underwater cable 01/15/2025 Sweden celebrates huge success in migrant crackdown as number granted asylum hits 40-year low following policy reversal in wake of soaring gang crime and lack of integration Posted by: badanov 2025-01-21 |
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