A senior Russian official has said that Moscow will counter any moves by Western military alliance NATO to dominate the Baltic Sea. Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko told the Russian television channel Rossiya-24 on Friday that the Western alliance's decision to increase patrols around the Baltic was further proof of NATO's "desire to turn the Baltic Sea into a NATO lake.

NATO countries will deploy frigates, patrol aircraft and naval drones in the Baltic Sea to help protect critical infrastructure and reserve the right to take action against ships suspected of posing a security threat,

Intelligence officials in the U.S. and Europe have suggested that recent incidents damaging critical cables in the Baltic Sea were accidental, according to a Washington Post report. Western geostrategic self-deception has overly emphasized fears of escalation and cornering Russia.

A large Nato flotilla has gathered off the coast of Estonia, with the goal of securing the critical undersea cables and pipelines that run across the Baltic Sea. This mission comes in response to a series of incidents where important infrastructure was damaged,

NATO will use uncrewed surface vessels or sea drones to monitor shipping in the Baltic Sea and protect undersea cable infrastructure.

A NATO flotilla has been assembled off the coast of Estonia as the military alliance strengthens its presence in the region to safeguard critical undersea cables. Following recent accusations of Russian sabotage in the Baltic Sea,