The most pressing threat to Northern European nations is Russia’s and China’s gray zone threats on undersea lines of communication, senior NATO navy leaders said Monday.
The attacks have prompted Northern European navies to work with NATO and the European Union in ensuring the cables’ security through use of unmanned systems to identify and repair damaged systems and increased air and maritime patrols. They are also focused on the movement of Moscow’s “shadow fleet” of tankers and cargo carriers through the Baltic Sea, moving oil and goods out of Russia.
Rear Adm. Soren Kjeldsen, admiral of the Danish Fleet, said these attacks prompted the Danes to enter into “a whole new way of defense planning” that actively involves industry in protecting this critical infrastructure.
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