NATO has reported a significant increase in the effectiveness of monitoring and responding to potential threats in the Baltic Sea. In particular, the response time to suspicious incidents has been reduced from 17 hours to one hour.
This was reported in Brussels by the Chief Public Affairs Officer of NATO's Maritime Command MARCOM, Tim Pietrack, during a conversation with journalists.
According to him, the Baltic Sentry operation has not only accelerated the response to potential threats but also enhanced the protection of critically important underwater infrastructure in the region.
Pietrack noted that from January 2025 to January 2026, NATO has not recorded any significant cases of deliberate sabotage against underwater infrastructure in the Baltic region.
The Alliance representative emphasized that the results of the operation demonstrate that allies possess both the political will and the necessary operational capabilities to ensure collective security in the Baltic Sea area.
Furthermore, one NATO representative, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that in the area of responsibility of the maritime command, the ratio of NATO and allied ships to Russian ships is approximately three to one in favor of the Alliance.
According to him, this provides NATO with a numerical advantage in the maritime space of the region and expands its capabilities for controlling the situation.
The issue of security for underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea remains relevant following a series of incidents involving damage to communication cables. In particular, at the end of 2024, damage was recorded on the communication line between Finland and Germany, as well as on the cable between Sweden and Lithuania.
Earlier, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned that Russia could intensify hybrid pressure on European countries, including through actions directed against infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
