NATO cannot stop Russia's shadow fleet in the Baltic Sea – Finnish analyst

NATO countries cannot block Russia's passage through the Baltic Sea to prevent sabotage, as it would violate international maritime law, Finnish Institute of International Affairs researcher Joel Linnainmäki told LIGA.net.

According to him, it is virtually impossible to fully prevent damage to NATO countries' underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.

It is also not possible to ban ships traveling to or from Russian ports in the Baltic Sea area, including those in the shadow fleet transporting Russian oil products around the world to bypass sanctions.

The right to pass through the sea is a fundamental principle of international maritime law, Linnainmäki said. Countries with global interests, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, uphold this right.

He noted that the primary responsibility for responding to sabotage lies with national authorities in individual NATO countries, including police, border guards, coast guards, and national defense forces. NATO's role is limited to supporting surveillance and tracking suspicious vessels.