Observing from the deck of a Finnish patrol ship, I witnessed armed individuals descending from a helicopter and launching an assault on the vessel.
The masked security personnel swiftly moved to the ship’s control center, vociferously taking charge. Fortunately, this was merely a drill executed by the Finnish Border Guard, responsible for safeguarding an 830-mile border along NATO’s eastern boundary in the face of Russian threats. The unit actively engages with Putin’s clandestine maritime operations in the Gulf of Finland and has conducted operations on vessels suspected of tampering with essential undersea cables.
Demonstrating how they would secure a suspected vessel, camouflaged operatives showcased their tactics to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper during her recent visit to Finland and Norway. The proximity to Russia felt palpable as we boarded the Turva, an offshore patrol craft, in Helsinki, overlooking the Gulf of Finland, which extends towards St. Petersburg, the easternmost part of the Baltic Sea.
Given Russia’s close proximity, Finland grapples with Putin’s disruptive strategies and unconventional warfare techniques. Cooper’s visit highlights the significant threat posed by the Russian covert naval activities to the UK.
In our discussion, Cooper emphasized the imperative to take decisive action against the network of aged oil tankers flying questionable flags. These vessels not only circumvent Western sanctions, thereby aiding Putin’s unlawful campaign in Ukraine, but they are also suspected of sabotaging critical undersea infrastructure that transmits telecommunications data and essential energy resources like electricity, oil, and gas.
The UK is reportedly evaluating the legal aspects of intervening with military force to board these suspicious ships, following its recent collaboration with US special forces in a daring operation targeting a tanker linked to Russia. Cooper’s diplomatic trip coincides with escalating tensions in the Arctic region.
The escalating sea temperatures due to climate change have ignited geopolitical competition as new maritime routes emerge and natural resources become accessible with melting ice. The specter of Donald Trump’s aspirations to claim Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, has thrust this issue into global prominence.
Britain aims to demonstrate its role in shaping the security landscape of the High North in collaboration with NATO allies. However, potential disruptions loom if the US President acts upon his stated intentions.