Russia baltic sea. May 22, 2024 · A Russian defence ministry proposal to revise Russia's maritime border in the eastern Baltic Sea was deleted on Wednesday from an official portal after creating confusion and concern among NATO 2 days ago · Deterring the West Through Kinetic and Information Tactics Russia’s blending of military and non-military tools supports Russian strategic objectives in several ways. Apr 7, 2025 · The Baltic Sea is only 52 meters deep on average, while the Gulf of Finland is even shallower at 38 meters. Sep 2, 2024 · This report examines recent Russian naval counter-divergence training and tactical developments in the Baltic and Black Sea regions. Jul 24, 2023 · Russia is likely to continue its military build-up in both the Baltic Sea and the Arctic in the long-term perspective. May 20, 2025 · Incidents in the Baltic Sea are ripe with the potential for escalation, one analyst cautioned. Estonian naval ships are taking part in stepped-up patrols in the Baltic Sea by NATO countries after undersea power and communications cables have been damaged in recent months. The since-deleted draft decree authored by Russia’s defense ministry appeared on the government’s legal portal on Tuesday, and May 22, 2024 · Russian President Vladimir Putin intends to gain control of the Baltic Sea, which has been dubbed a "NATO lake," Sweden's top soldier has warned. Jun 20, 2025 · RUSSIA intends to redraw the baseline it uses to measure its 12 nautical miles of territorial waters, claiming the maps drawn in 1985 are outdated. Resolution 918, dated June 18, redraws the baseline to include an arc around the islands of Gogland, Sommers, Rodsher and the two Tyuters in the Gulf of Finland, as well as an adjustment in the enclave of Kaliningrad. According to a news item on the Tass May 21, 2025 · The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russia would defend its ships using the Baltic Sea with all means available and that a failed Estonian attempt to seize a tanker Apr 23, 2025 · During the drills, live-fire exercises will target enemy sea and air threats, including unmanned surface drones. It is a shelf sea and marginal sea of the Mar 20, 2025 · But that has been largely resolved now, since Sweden and Finland joined Nato, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Jun 13, 2024 · The Baltic Sea represents one of the largest interfaces between NATO and Russia, and essential civilian commerce and undersea infrastructure in the area are vulnerable to attack. . May 18, 2025 · Russia detained a Greek-owned oil tanker on Sunday after it left an Estonian Baltic Sea port, the Estonian Foreign Ministry said, adding it had alerted NATO allies to the incident. Jun 20, 2025 · The Kremlin has adopted new legislation adjusting Russia’s territorial sea borders in the Baltic, the state-run Tass news agency reported early on Friday. " Several undersea telecom and power cables The Baltic states[a] or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term encompassing Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Nov 20, 2024 · Russia on Wednesday refuted suggestions it was responsible for damage caused over the weekend to two fiber-optic data telecommunication cables in the Baltic Sea. The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 10°E to 30°E longitude. Is Russia’s military sending a message? Russian Navy Flexes Military Muscle in Baltic The Russian Navy has initiated large-scale May 21, 2025 · Amid growing tensions between NATO and Russia, the Baltic becomes a battlefield of hidden threats beneath the waves. [4] In 1918, the fleet was inherited by the Russian SFSR which then founded the Soviet Union in 1922, where it was Jan 11, 2025 · Germany is working to secure a drifting Russian oil tanker, believed to be part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet” used to fund its war in Ukraine, after it lost control in the Baltic Sea. Jul 2, 2024 · The Baltic Fleet holds a storied past rooted in Russia’s naval history, emerging as a vital maritime asset. Neighboring states must respond creatively and proactively. NATO needs to invest in demining capability and ensure freedom of navigation is maintained throughout the Baltic Sea and its entry waters. Feb 17, 2025 · The Baltic Sea is becoming a significant geographic space in NATO-Russia naval rivalry. ” This has led to gaps in capabilities, strategy, and procurements, as well as vulnerabilities Dec 16, 2024 · Russia is disrupting mobile communications and ship-tracking data across the Baltic Sea, endangering vessels and energy supplies to test how Western powers will respond, a Polish admiral The Baltic Fleet (Russian: Балтийский флот, romanized: Baltiyskiy flot) [3] is the fleet of the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea. Activities include anti-submarine warfare, countering unmanned vessels, and live-fire exercises against sea and air threats. Established over centuries ago, this renowned fleet showcases strategic prowess and cutting-edge technology, playing a pivotal role in bolstering Russia’s defense capabilities. Alexei Zhuravlev, the deputy chairman of Russia's parliamentary defense committee, on Monday said that Feb 7, 2025 · The Baltic Sea is the critical artery for Moscow’s oil trade. May 22, 2024 · Finland and the Baltic states react to a Russian proposal to redraw sea borders dating back 40 years. May 15, 2025 · Estonia said on Thursday that Moscow had briefly sent a fighter jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea during an attempt to stop a Russian-bound oil tanker thought to be part of a shadow fleet May 21, 2025 · A Russian "shadow fleet" ship performed suspicious manoeuvres near the cable connecting Poland and Sweden, Poland's PM Donald Tusk said. Russia takes pride in its resolve to suffer more than the adversary. 20 The Baltic Sea is still riddled with sea mines from both World Wars21 and if Russia manages to lay sea mines undetected, it can make the argument that any incidents in the Baltic Sea involving sea mines were simply due to old, leftover mines Mar 25, 2025 · NBC News joined a NATO flotilla as it sailed the icy sea hunting Russian saboteurs accused of targeting undersea cables. Finland said it wasn't consulted, Lithuania said Moscow was trying to spread doubt. Jul 13, 2023 · VILNIUS — A resurgent NATO is set to tighten its grip on the Baltic Sea, complicating a vital transit route for Vladimir Putin’s navy in Russia’s backyard. Jan 29, 2025 · An undersea data cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged early on January 26, the latest in a series of similar incidents in the Baltic Sea in which critical seabed energy and communications Jan 13, 2025 · A spate of alleged sabotage operations against undersea cables in the Baltic Sea has raised the prospect of a dangerous 2025 in NATO's northern theater. An important maritime geography, the region hosts vital sea routes, with more than 1500 large vessels transiting it at any given time. May 22, 2024 · Russia alarmed NATO allies by proposing to unilaterally redraw its border in the Baltic Sea, before withdrawing the bombshell text without offering an explanation. The Polish military intervened in the Baltic Sea after a May 22, 2024 · Moscow has sparked condemnation from Nato members after proposing to redraw Russia’s borders in the Baltic Sea. Last year, 348 shadow-fleet vessels making up 40 percent of Russia’s total oil sales departed from Baltic ports — a figure equivalent to a third of Moscow’s annual defense budget. However, Russia’s recent Jun 25, 2024 · Russia's Baltic Fleet practiced drone warfare and jamming in the body of water surrounded by alliance members. Aug 2, 2023 · Russia’s Ministry of Defense said it began begun live-fire naval exercises in the Baltic Se a on Wednesday, ratcheting up tensions with nearby European nations that are already high over NATO and Ukraine. Several incidents involving Russian vessels and suspected sabotage raise concerns among NATO countries, prompting calls for increased vigilance and a long-term strategy to address this evolving hybrid conflict. Dec 4, 2024 · Russian and Chinese gray-zone aggression prove that dreams of a peaceful “NATO lake” were premature. Known for its resilience and formidable presence, the Baltic Fleet stands as a testament to maritime Dec 7, 2024 · Tensions escalate in the Baltic Sea as Russia increases naval presence and suspected hybrid attacks target undersea cables and navigation systems. Feb 8, 2025 · Russia's state-controlled telecoms giant Rostelecom said Saturday that its underwater cable in the Baltic Sea had been damaged by an "external impact. It is a shelf sea and marginal sea of the The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North and Central European Plain regions. Amid growing tensions between NATO and Russia, the Baltic becomes a battlefield of hidden threats, shadow fleets, and silent sabotage beneath the waves. The document, drafted by the Russian May 22, 2024 · A Russian Defense Ministry proposal to change the country’s Baltic Sea border and territorial waters next to NATO rivals that prompted sharp responses from Lithuania and Finland was removed from Jul 22, 2020 · In June, NATO conducted a scaled down version of its annual BALTOPS naval drills in the Baltic Sea. The three sovereign states on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea are sometimes referred to as the "Baltic nations", less often and in historical circumstances also as the "Baltic republics May 22, 2024 · Russia's Defense Ministry published, but later deleted, a draft decree proposing changes to its Baltic Sea borders. and European security services holds that accidents were the cause of damage to Baltic seabed energy and communications lines. Jun 5, 2025 · Ships unofficially connected with Russia are presenting a new threat in the Baltic. May 28, 2025 · Russia has launched massive naval exercises in the Baltic Sea with 20 warships and 3,000 troops, sending a clear message to NATO amid rising regional tensions. A Brief Naval Overview of the Baltic Sea Region paper describes naval issues within the Baltic Sea region in light of two key changes since 2022: (1) intensified North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)–Russia tensions due to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and (2) Finland’s and Sweden’s accessions to NATO. [3] It is the world's largest brackish water basin. But with a heavy emphasis on land-based deterrence since re-independence, the Baltic States and NATO alike have been largely plagued by what experts refer to as “sea apathy” or “sea blindness. May 27, 2025 · The Baltic Sea is facing increased tension as Russia engages in aggressive maneuvers and hybrid tactics affecting regional stability. Jun 2, 2025 · There is nothing extreme about the Baltic states’ hard-nosed view of Russia, says Latvia’s foreign minister Baiba Braže argues that it is time to abandon illusions of détente May 21, 2024 · Russia, in turn, depends on the same sea lines for significant parts of its trade, transport, and to supply its Baltic enclave, Kaliningrad. Kinetic activities in the Baltic and North Sea demonstrate Russia's resolve to respond militarily to European countermeasures against the Kremlin and its enablers. Dec 31, 2024 · Finland says a ship affiliated with Russia's "shadow fleet" is linked to a 60-mile-long anchor drag mark on the seafloor. May 24, 2024 · The Baltic Sea—playfully now referred to by some Western officials as the "NATO Lake"—has long been a potential flashpoint between Russia and its foreign adversaries. May 30, 2024 · In Russian President Vladimir Putin’s mind, “for Russia to be recognized as a great power, it must be dominant in the Baltic Sea. But there are increasing tensions in a region where every country bar Russia is a member of Nato and opposes President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. Map of the Baltic Sea Political Map of the Baltic Sea The map shows the Baltic Sea and surrounding countries with international borders, national capitals, chief ports, and major cities. You are free to use the above map for educational and similar purposes; if you publish it online or in print, you need to credit Nations Online Project as the source. May 23, 2024 · Russia unveiled a bill on Tuesday that would redefine its maritime borders in the Baltic Sea, causing an outcry among Baltic and other northern European countries and fueling geopolitical tensions. This latest effort to adjust Jan 29, 2025 · Incidents damaging Europe’s undersea networks have become more frequent since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, raising suspicions they are the result of sabotage. Amid growing tensions between NATO and Russia, the Baltic becomes a battlefield of hidden threats beneath the waves. The Baltic Sea is a shared maritime space between three Baltic countries Jan 27, 2025 · Numerous incidents of suspected Russian-linked sabotage of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea has seen tensions rise among nearby countries, and an increased Nato presence. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry calls the move a provocation, while Russian media have denied any plans to review boundaries in the Baltic Sea. According to a news item on the Tass Jun 20, 2025 · Russia has adopted new legislation adjusting its territorial sea borders in the Baltic, the country’s state-run Tass news agency reported early on Friday. Anti-ship Cruise Missiles Jan 20, 2025 · Russia's oil shipments via the Baltic Sea fell by roughly 10% in the last four months of 2024, the Finnish Border Guard said, as the impact of EU sanctions against Russian oil and gas exports Dec 17, 2024 · NATO fighters scrambled seven times during the past week to track down Russian military aircraft violating international aviation regulations over the Baltic Sea, allied defense officials said. Eight of the nine nations adjoining the Baltic Sea are now NATO Jan 28, 2025 · NATO is deploying eyes in the sky and on the Baltic Sea to protect cables and pipelines that stitch together the nine countries with shores on Baltic waters. Jan 4, 2018 · Russia is very inclined to use means that offer plausible deniability, to possibly include sea mines. Jul 23, 2025 · A view shows Russian warships during major naval drills, which are conducted by the Russian Navy in the Pacific and Arctic oceans and in the Baltic and Caspian seas, at an unknown location, in this still image taken from video released July 23. More than 20 warships, boats, and support vessels were set to participate in the drills Jul 23, 2025 · Russia on Wednesday began major navy drills involving more than 150 vessels and 15,000 military personnel in the Pacific and Arctic oceans and in the Baltic and Caspian seas, the defence ministry Mar 31, 2025 · The Baltic Sea is vulnerable given Russia’s access via several ports, but it is also, many point out, “a NATO lake,” ringed by eight members of the alliance, and therefore much easier to secure. [11] It is a semi-exclave on the Baltic Sea within the historical Baltic region of Prussia, surrounded by Poland to the south and Lithuania to the north and east. Compare that to the Mediterranean Sea at 1,500 meters. Jan 7, 2021 · This report deals with Russia’s geopolitical objectives, policy and strategy, and their effects across the wider Baltic Region. Established 18 May 1703, under Tsar Peter the Great as part of the Imperial Russian Navy, the Baltic Fleet is the oldest Russian fleet. " Estonia's foreign ministry said Feb 19, 2025 · As Russia and the US debate Ukraine’s future, countries on the Baltic Sea are ramping up preparations for a military conflict amid fears that Russia is preparing for a future war with NATO. The interior ministers of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia committed to develop joint mass evacuation plans, streamline Jan 27, 2025 · After a series of suspected undersea cable cuttings, NATO has launched a new surveillance and deterrence mission to protect critical infrastructure under the Baltic Sea. Victor Jack reported from Helsinki, Finland. This follows a move by Russia to change its May 24, 2025 · The Baltic Sea, one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, is bordered by NATO members Poland, Sweden, Finland, Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, along with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. The sea—now almost May 22, 2024 · A Russian Defense Ministry proposal to redraw Russia’s maritime borders in the Baltic Sea has sparked concern from Moscow’s neighbors in the region, with officials from Finland to Lithuania Feb 11, 2025 · BRUSSELS — Russia threatened retaliation if the EU follows through on new proposals to grab more Moscow-linked oil tankers in the Baltic Sea, warning it would treat any seizures as an attack. May 19, 2025 · Russia has detained an oil tanker after it left an Estonian port, as tensions increase between Moscow and the Baltic nation bordering the sea dubbed a " NATO lake. At the heart of the tensions is a series of confrontations between Russia and Estonia, a small but strategically significant NATO member state. European governments accused Jul 21, 2025 · Baltic Sea, arm of the North Atlantic Ocean, extending northward from the latitude of southern Denmark almost to the Arctic Circle and separating the Scandinavian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe. May 25, 2025 · Russia Intensifying Military Activity in Baltic Sea to Shield ‘Shadow Fleet,’ Finland Warns Minister of Defense Antti Häkkänen said Moscow’s provocative actions at sea and in the air are escalating tensions in the Baltic Sea. NATO must avoid complacency and continue efforts to improve its capabilities in the region. For NATO, its new Baltic member states – Finland and Sweden – add value in this context, bringing Baltic-specific capability, experience, and expertise to the contest with Russia in the region. "The Baltic Sea has become the Nato Sea," he notes. May 15, 2025 · Estonia has accused Russia of creating a "serious threat" to NATO in the Baltic Sea after a Russian fighter jet disrupted operations by the Estonian Navy to inspect an unflagged tanker that is on Feb 10, 2025 · European countries are pushing for new powers to squeeze Moscow’s shadow fleet after a spate of incidents in the Baltic Sea. Oct 15, 2024 · In the second part of a series on subsea cables, we look at how Baltic Sea states are dealing with increased threats of Russian interference in their backyard. Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden on the common point of boundaries of the exclusive economic zones and continental shelf in the Baltic Sea (Download) Lithuania (Show line) (Download coordinates as GML) Digital Documents: May 23, 2024 · A now-deleted document outlined plans to redraw Russia's borders in the strategically sensitive Baltic Sea. Nov 12, 2024 · Nikolai Patrushev, the Russian politician and member of President Vladimir Putin 's inner circle, told the publication Kommersant about Russia's plan to raise their role in the Baltic Sea. Apr 22, 2024 · Since Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO, the narrative around Baltic security among alliance members has been almost triumphant. Nov 14, 2022 · This will not dissuade Russia from taking such a step—there are no red lines in Russian strategy. While significant elements of local Russian forces were moved for its war in Ukraine, grey-zone aggression continues. Mar 20, 2025 · But that has been largely resolved now, since Sweden and Finland joined Nato, following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russia considers the Baltic states’ role in NATO and EU decision-making as an inherent threat to its security. Sep 9, 2021 · Russian decision-makers find it hard to appreciate that the Baltic states are genuinely treated as allies by big Western countries. Jan 11, 2025 · The European bloc's remarks came after undersea cables in the Baltic Sea were damaged by a suspected vessel, which the EU believes was part of Russia's shadow fleet. Is Russia preparing for war? Russia’s Show of Naval Strength The Russian Navy has commenced large-scale naval Jan 29, 2025 · Incidents damaging Europe’s undersea networks have become more frequent since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, raising suspicions they are the result of sabotage. Following the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO, Russian military thinkers and planners are increasingly seeing the two theatres as contiguous areas. On Tuesday, the Russian Navy began naval exercises in the Baltic Sea involving more than 20 ships, about 3,000 troops, nearly 25 aircraft and helicopters, and around 70 pieces of military equipment. A power cable in the Baltic Sea was severed last week. Russia last carried out mass military exercises in the Baltic Sea in June, two months after Finland became NATO’s newest member. S. Dec 14, 2021 · Contested Waters The potential for Russia to deny NATO access to the Baltic Sea long enough for Russian ground forces to seize Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania is a serious concern for the security alliance. Source: Reuters Russia kicked off large-scale naval May 28, 2025 · Russia deploys massive naval force to the Baltic Sea with 20 warships and 3,000 troops in direct challenge to NATO expansion along its borders. The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North and Central European Plain regions. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, and the OECD. On the summit’s eve, Turkey agreed to back Sweden’s May 27, 2025 · Russia’s Baltic Fleet launched a scheduled naval exercise, the Russian military announced on Tuesday. Jun 8, 2025 · NATO exercise shows alliance resolve as concerns grow about Russia's shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea, with incidents of severed cables raising regional tensions Jun 13, 2025 · Image Source: Getty The Baltic Sea, a semi-enclosed sea in the North Atlantic Ocean, has emerged as a fresh flashpoint amid escalating tensions following Russia’s war against Ukraine. May 22, 2024 · The Russian authorities have unilaterally decided to change the country’s maritime borders with Lithuania and Finland in the Baltic Sea, according to a draft government resolution quoted by The Moscow Times. May 28, 2025 · The Russian military’s stated purpose for the exercises—maintaining “a favorable operational regime in the Baltic region” and practicing the defense of naval bases—reflects growing concerns about the security implications of NATO’s eastward expansion. The Baltic Sea has been described as a ‘NATO lake’ and various Baltic countries have celebrated the increase in their security. Apr 29, 2025 · NATO forces are actively rehearsing for the region's capture under the guise of routine military exercises in the Baltic Sea, Nikolai Patrushev claimed. It is the largest expanse of brackish water in the world. Mar 20, 2025 · A Russian radar used to direct weapons at a target tracked a NATO patrol aircraft protecting undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea on Wednesday, the French military said, denouncing Jun 13, 2025 · The Baltic countries on Friday signed a deal pledging to jointly plan for mass evacuations as the specter of bellicose Russian President Vladimir Putin looms over the region. Kaliningrad Oblast (Russian: Калининградская область, romanized: Kaliningradskaya oblastʹ) is the westernmost federal subject of Russia. May 24, 2025 · The Baltic Sea has become a geopolitical flashpoint in recent months. Criss-crossed by about 1,500 large vessels at any one time, the Baltic Sea is a crowded maritime route and a key trade corridor for both Europe and Russia. This week’s alliance summit in Vilnius was Finland’s first as a NATO member. They doubt the sincerity of the Baltic elites in distancing themselves from communism. The Baltic Sea has become a regional flashpoint amid tensions over Ukraine and concerns about undersea cable sabotage. Jun 20, 2025 · The Russian government has officially replaced a Soviet-era list of coordinates used to define the baselines of its territorial waters in the Baltic Sea — the first update in nearly 40 years. The drills took place at the same time NATO was holding Jan 19, 2025 · An emerging consensus among U. Russia starts major naval drills in the Baltic Sea. Jul 3, 2025 · North Sea and the Baltic The Baltic Sea is better known than the North Sea for highlighting the vulnerability of the alliance's critical undersea infrastructure. Feb 26, 2025 · Operation Baltic Sentry As of 2024, every Baltic Sea nation except Russia is a NATO member. Apr 18, 2025 · NATO countries sharing the strategically important Baltic Sea with Russia have boosted their presence there and are beefing up their navies. The second part sums up NATO’s response to this evolving strategic challenge, including the potential military threat posed by Russia. May 2, 2025 · The Baltic Fleet of the Russian navy reported that it completed a navigation safety exercise which focused on protecting civilian maritime traffic from attacks made by UAV, USV and submarines. The Russian defence ministry late on Tuesday laid out a plan to unilaterally May 5, 2025 · Poland’s advanced renewable energy efforts in the Baltic Sea region make the country a critical leader in the goal amongst NATO countries of diversifying energy sources and becoming independent from Russian fossil fuels. In response to escalating hybrid attacks, leaders of the region’s eight NATO nations announced a set of security measures, including Operation Baltic Sentry, at the Baltic Allies Summit in Helsinki on January 14th. fmzb oxs jewrt duu yvgjnq iegod zsyqluq plrt zrmp rllk