Finland, Baltics, EU join forces to create maritime surveillance hub
Photo: Finland has established a critical infrastructure protection center (Getty Images)
Finland, together with other countries in the Baltic region and with the participation of the European Commission, is working to establish a maritime monitoring center, according to the Finnish Border Guard.
The key task of the new center will be to protect important underwater infrastructure in the Gulf of Finland.
The Baltic Sea is currently under heightened security due to a series of damages to power grids, telecommunications cables, and gas pipelines recorded since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The launch of a new initiative in cooperation with the Baltic Sea states and the European Commission should strengthen control and response to threats to underwater objects in the Gulf of Finland region.
The responsible authorities must have sufficient powers and capabilities to intervene promptly in the event of incidents in both territorial waters and the exclusive economic zone.
NATO responds to threats from Russia in Baltic Sea
At the end of December 2025, it became known that the governments of NATO member states were making decisions to strengthen their fleets and presence in the Baltic Sea amid Russian attacks on critical underwater infrastructure.
NATO also stepped up patrols as part of Operation Baltic Sentinel. However, the ability to inspect ships is still very limited due to international law.
Russia will continue its attempts to attack and damage the critical infrastructure of NATO countries in the Baltic Sea, as it has done in recent years.
