Sweden will deploy forces to the Baltic Sea for the first time to join NATO in stepping up surveillance amid suspicious submarine cable cuts in the region.
The Swedish government announced on January 12 that it will send three warships and an ASC 890 airborne early warning and control aircraft to the Baltic Sea to join NATO's efforts to increase its presence to guard against submarine cable sabotage.
The Swedish Coast Guard also sent four ships to monitor and seven more were on standby, according to AP.
Swedish frigate HMS Visby on a patrol mission
Sweden officially became a NATO member in March 2024, shortly after its neighbor Finland joined the bloc. The Swedish government said this was the first time the country had committed its armed forces to NATO's defense and deterrence mission as a member of the alliance.
The new mission comes after a series of incidents in the Baltic Sea that have raised concerns about sabotage of infrastructure. Specifically, submarine cables and pipelines connecting the Nordic, Baltic and Central European countries have been repeatedly damaged, affecting trade, energy security and communications.
NATO exercises to protect Baltic Sea after serious cable break
Since 2023, 10 cables in the Baltic Sea have been damaged, affecting countries such as Estonia, Finland, Sweden, Germany and Lithuania. At least two incidents involved ships allegedly deliberately dropping anchor and towing to cut the cables.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told an annual security conference on January 12 that his country was not at war but was not at peace either, according to The Guardian . Mr. Kristersson did not rule out the possibility of intentional hostile action related to recent submarine cable cuts in the Baltic Sea.
"Sweden does not jump to conclusions or accuse anyone of sabotage without very solid reasons. But we are not naive either. The security situation and the fact that strange things keep happening in the Baltic Sea make us believe that hostile intentions cannot be ruled out," Prime Minister Kristersson said.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thuy-dien-tang-cuong-suc-manh-cho-nato-sau-cac-vu-dut-cap-bien-baltic-185250113071452974.htm
Comment (0)