Estonia Authorizes Navy to Use Force Against Threats in Baltic Waters

Estonia has authorized its Navy to use force in the Baltic Sea when necessary to respond to threats, according to Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur.

“This means the Navy, in the event of a threat and when necessary, will have the right to use force across Estonia’s entire maritime territory, including its exclusive economic zone,” Pevkur stated, as reported by Interfax on January 16.

The Ministry of Defense has drafted amendments to the Defense Forces Organization Act and the Exclusive Economic Zone Act, which will be submitted to parliament for approval. The new rules require military personnel to first contact the captain of a suspected vessel, request a course change, and suggest docking. Any decision to use force must be approved by the defense minister.

This decision follows a series of incidents involving damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea, including critical connections between Estonia and Finland. In December, Finland detained the oil tanker Eagle S, suspecting its involvement in one such incident.

The European Union has implicated Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the sabotage, prompting NATO to boost its military presence in the region. Around ten NATO ships are set to safeguard vital underwater infrastructure.

On January 14, NATO launched Operation Baltic Sentry, a 90-day patrol of the Baltic Sea. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk indicated the operation could be extended and vowed Poland would detain vessels suspected of maritime incidents.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry, however, accused the West of exploiting these accusations to impose restrictions on international shipping and hinder Russian oil exports.