Finland records increased Russian activity in the Baltic Sea

Of particular concern is the appearance of military escorts near tankers of the so-called “shadow fleet” of the Russian Federation in the Gulf of Finland.

Finnish Defense Minister Antti Häkkanen said that Russia’s activity in the Baltic Sea has increased significantly recently. This is reported by Yle.

“But what is new is that Russia is guarding tankers of its “shadow fleet” in a narrow part of the Gulf of Finland. There are military escorts and the presence of armed forces. This is a completely new development,” Häkkanen noted.

At the same time, the minister assured that Finland’s security situation remains stable, given its membership in NATO and close cooperation with the American administration.

“I do not see an immediate threat to Finland. But Russia is building up its military capabilities and is an aggressive and dangerous neighbor for all of Europe – that is obvious,” he added.

Meanwhile, Finnish authorities are investigating the alleged violation of the country’s airspace by two Russian military aircraft. And NATO reports that last week, air police fighters flew four times to identify Russian aircraft that violated aviation safety rules in the region. As USM reported the day before, Poland is checking whether a Russian ship planted explosives in the Baltic Sea.