A German helicopter, which was carrying out a routine surveillance mission, was targeted by a Russian cargo ship. The German Defense Minister confirmed the information revealed by the press, but did not give further details on the facts. “ No one was injured or put in danger “, he commented. The incident reportedly happened last week, according to media reports.
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Boris Pistorius, the German Minister of Defense, denounced on Deutschlandfunk radio the “ increased presence of Russian navy and civilian ships in the Baltic Sea ” And ” classic provocative behavior, known since the Cold War » from Moscow. “ We have repeatedly had incidents in the Baltic where it turned out that Russian ships were firing warning shots into the air or into the water “, he added again. The Baltic Sea is indeed a “ strategic importance » for Russia and China, he stressed.
Tensions rise
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke about the incident on the sidelines of a NATO meeting in Brussels on Wednesday December 4.
Tensions in this area have increased since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. European countries, including Germany, are regularly alarmed by the occurrence of “hybrid attacks” in the Baltic Sea, attributed to Russia. . These non-military attacks aim to destabilize the security of a country. NATO countries discussed possible new measures to respond effectively and protect strategic infrastructure. With the accession of Finland, then Sweden, all the states bordering the Baltic, with the exception of Russia, are now members of the Atlantic Alliance.
Concerns revived
Concerns were rekindled, particularly after the breakup of two submarine telecommunications cables severed in mid-November in the Baltic Sea, in Swedish territorial waters. Sweden has opened an investigation into sabotage and is investigating the role of a Chinese ship, the Yi Peng 3immobilized in international waters near the Danish coast.
Also readWhat we know about the Chinese ship suspected of cutting cables in the Baltic Sea