The existence of the strategic ocean shared by NATO and Russia will become larger

• NATO has increased its presence in the Baltic Sea, sensing the threat from Russia.

• Countries bordering strategic waters have also ordered more vessels.

• The sea is important to both Russia and NATO.

NATO countries that share strategic oceans with Russia have already promoted their presence there and are buying more warships while alerting Russia.

Denmark, located at the mouth of the Baltic River, announced plans to increase threats in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic to purchase dozens of ships.

The Baltic Sea is a major trade and telecommunications route, patrols and allegedly destroying submarine cables since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Many European officials said they believe Russia believes Russia is behind the cut cables.

Lithuania, bordering Russia and the ocean, announced this month that it will purchase two new attack ships. Poland is also building new frigates and plans to buy submarines. Estonia has only eight ships and one of the smallest navy in the world, with the goal of buying up to 12 new ships.

Sweden, which joined NATO after Russia invaded Ukraine, is also purchasing four surface ships.

Most of Sweden’s army was fighting against Russia, and even released a book that provided them with pamphlets on how to prepare for the war.

Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson told BI in February that Sweden “is also purchasing four new ground ships” saying they will be “much larger” than the existing Visby Class Corvettes.

Bryan Clark, a naval operations expert at the Hudson Institute, who served as a U.S. Navy headquarters staff, said the vessels were used in conjunction with Swedish submarines, “if they want to use a combination of submarines and those surface combatants, it is very useful for closing the Baltic Sea.”

The Swedish Defense Materials Government said last year that it plans to deliver two of the ships to the Swedish armed forces in 2030.

The country accepted recognition from NATO to promote the alliance’s maritime presence, especially in the Baltic Sea, Sweden, including countries such as Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

According to the Carnegie International Peace Endowment Foundation, as of December 2023, the presence of the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea includes an attack submarine, five missile destroyers, a missile frigate and 35 smaller vessels.

However, Russia transferred its naval assets around, changing the basis of each port.

After Sweden and neighboring Finland joined NATO, many members of the alliance began to call the Baltic Sea the “NATO Sea”.

Sweden brings submarine capabilities that few other NATO members in the region have. Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, Finland and Lithuania have no submarines, while Poland has only one.

According to naval war experts, Swedish submarines are also particularly suitable for the Baltic Sea.

Steven Horrell, a former U.S. Navy intelligence officer and now a war expert at the European Center for Policy Analysis, told Bi that Sweden’s small, quiet submarines are perfect for “small entrances, small islands, small shallow waters” oceans.

Josen said Sweden could bring “unique capabilities” into NATO’s actions in the Baltic Sea, underwater and on the ground.

Sweden also knows the sea very well: Jonson describes there, “we have been doing things for hundreds of years, and we want to think we know the Baltic Sea from the inside out.”

He said “a lot of things” are being done to protect critical infrastructure on the seabed, adding that Sweden is using its own naval and coast guard, but NATO has also stepped up efforts.

Sweden is part of NATO’s Baltic Sentinel Operation, which has put more ships and control ships in the sea. But Jonson said there could be more to do.

The Swedish defense minister warned last year that even if Russian troops were “kidnapped” in Ukraine, “we cannot rule out Russian attacks on our country.”

In addition to increasing defense spending, Sweden also provided Ukraine with the largest support package ever this year, worth about $1.6 billion.

Jonson described it as a message to his allies: “We must strengthen and provide more help to Ukraine.”

He called supporting Ukraine’s support “the right thing and wise thing because it is really an investment in our own safety because the bets before us are huge.”

Read original articles about business insiders