Two Lithuanian naval vessels join NATO mission in the Baltic Sea

On Wednesday, two vessels of the Lithuanian Naval Force were activated and deployed to the Baltic Sea as part of NATO’s mission to protect critical infrastructure.

The NATO operation was launched in response to the damage to the EstLink power cable, which sends electricity between Estonia and Finland, over Christmas. Oil tanker Eagle S, part of Russia’s “shadow fleet”, is suspected of having carried out the sabotage operation.

Lithuania has contributed the mine countermeasures and patrol vessels to NATO’s mission to prevent possible attempts to damage the submarine infrastructure and to reinforce regional security, the Armed Forces said in a press release.

“Joining NATO’s operation Baltic Sentry underlines our country’s commitment to ensuring not only national but also regional security. Our participation is a clear signal that Lithuania, as a NATO member, is doing its utmost to ensure the protection of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea,” Commander of the Naval Forces Fleet Admiral Giedrius Premeneckas was quoted as saying.

Operation Baltic Sentry involves the actions of various NATO forces on land, in the air, and at sea to ensure prevention, rapid response, and critical infrastructure security in the Baltic region.

During the operation Baltic Sentry, Lithuanian ships will carry out patrolling and surveillance tasks, cooperate closely with NATO allies, and use modern technologies to detect and prevent potential threats. An underwater robot on board the mine countermeasures ship will be used to monitor the Baltic seabed.

“We are pleased that NATO has reacted quickly to threats to critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Operation Baltic Sentry is a sign of the alliance’s solidarity and unity, demonstrating NATO’s responsiveness to all types of attacks, including those in the Baltic Sea,” said Defence Minister Dovilė Šakalienė.

“We do not live in war, but we do not live in peace either. In the face of clear signs of aggression by the enemy, we will have to be constantly vigilant, reviewing national and international law,” she added.

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said after the summit in Helsinki on Tuesday that the mission will last 90 days. Finnish media previously reported that NATO would deploy up to ten ships to protect critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.