A French plane contracted for NATO was targeted by the Russian army in the Baltic Sea during a surveillance mission. A serious incident which occurs in a context of tensions following repeated sabotage of submarine cables, attributed to Russia. The escalation was avoided but the situation remains volatile…
A serious incident involving a French NATO plane and the Russian army occurred on Wednesday over the Baltic Sea. While carrying out a surveillance mission as part of an Atlantic Alliance deployment, the French Navy aircraft was targeted by Russian forces through jamming attempts and radar designation. fire control, according to information communicated by the French army.
A context of growing tensions in the Baltic Sea
This incident comes amid high tensions in the region, as several submarine telecommunications and power cables have been damaged in recent months in the Baltic Sea. Suspicions of sabotage orchestrated by Russia as part of “hybrid war” actions have led NATO to intensify its surveillance operations in the area.
The Eagle S, a suspicious oil tanker boarded
The tanker Eagle S, flying the flag of the Cook Islands and suspected of belonging to a Russian “ghost fleet”, was boarded by Finnish police. He is suspected of being involved in the sabotage of several cables at the end of December, including the important EstLink 2 electricity cable linking Finland to Estonia.
An “aggressive action” by Russia but no escalation
Targeting a NATO aircraft operating in international waters by radar constitutes “an aggressive action” on the part of Russia according to the spokesperson for the general staff of the French armies. However, the “professional behavior of the crew” made it possible to avoid any escalation, as Russia had little interest in directly attacking an Atlantic Alliance aircraft at the risk of causing a serious crisis.
An attack on a NATO plane can cause a sudden and serious escalation with NATO.
Colonel Guillaume Vernet, spokesperson for the general staff of the French armies
Incidents “fairly widespread” beyond Europe
According to American General Christopher Cavoli, commander of NATO forces in Europe, this type of “fairly serious” incidents targeting Alliance aircraft are unfortunately “fairly widespread” and “go far beyond the borders of Europe” . A worrying situation which demonstrates the risks weighing on surveillance missions in areas of tension.
A careful but futile surveillance mission
The French Atlantic 2 plane, with an AFP journalist on board, was tasked with monitoring activities in the Baltic Sea following the sabotage of submarine cables. Despite nearly five hours of flight and the control of around 200 vessels, mainly civilians, no suspicious vessel could be spotted.
Towards a strengthening of NATO’s capabilities in the Baltic Sea?
Faced with the destabilizing actions attributed to Russia and the risks weighing on critical underwater infrastructures, NATO could be led to further strengthen its surveillance and response resources in the Baltic Sea. A geostrategic theater increasingly under tension, at the heart of the confrontation between Russia and Western countries.
The incident involving the French plane, although it did not escalate, nevertheless illustrates the complexity of the situation and the risks of escalation in the region. Constant vigilance seems necessary to prevent a seemingly isolated event from degenerating into an open crisis with unpredictable consequences. The Baltic Sea is emerging more than ever as an area of friction between NATO and Russia, where the slightest incident is likely to ignite the situation.
