Two Russian ships were spotted in Baltic Sea waters near Denmark and Sweden

Denmark and Sweden are currently monitoring two Russian ships that have been circling a small area in the Kattegat Strait in the Baltic Sea for at least two days.

The close attention to the Russian ships is explained by recent incidents in the Baltic Sea related to damage to underwater cables, reports the Swedish  TV4 channel.

We are talking about a Russian search ship and a Russian tugboat, which were spotted in Danish waters.

It is currently unclear why the Russian ships are sailing in the strait.

“We are aware of these ships and have informed the relevant authorities and the Danish Maritime Administration,” said Klas Löven, an officer at the command center of the Swedish Coast Guard.

In turn, Henrik Nyström, a spokesman for the Swedish Armed Forces, noted that they are monitoring their movements.

TV4 reported that the ships had been detected on radar and had been circling a small area in the Kattegat since at least Monday evening. The Chinese ship “Yi Peng 3”, suspected of being involved in the damage to cables in the Baltic Sea, had been in the same area in the Kattegat for several weeks.

Denmark also said it was aware of the ships. In particular, their maneuvers were being monitored in the port of Grøn.

“There is no indication that the ships will enter the port of Grøn. But if they ask (for entry), they will of course not be allowed to do so,” said port director Henrik Carstensen.

At the same time, he said, there was nothing unusual about Russian – or other – ships being idle in the Kattegat, for example, waiting for contracts to be renewed.

As USM previously reported, NATO is sending a fleet to protect the Baltic Sea. The ships will maneuver near power and communication cables, acting primarily as a deterrent and complicating possible sabotage.