Questioning Russia's Grip: Can NATO counter Baltic blockade?
Can Russia blockade the Baltic Sea in the event of a potential conflict? The commander of the Estonian army, Gen. Martin Herem, has doubts. He points out that Poland and NATO countries have significantly bolstered their "defensive capabilities at sea". According to him, the UK's role in this scenario is crucial.
On 24 February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine, altering the West's perspective on current international politics. The imperial policy of Vladimir Putin makes countries like the Baltic states feel at risk, which were previously under Russian influence.
Russia blocked in the Baltic? Poland and NATO key
According to the annual report on the activities of the Armed Forces in Estonia, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is only part of a broader strategy. The report highlights potential Russian maneuvers in the Baltic Sea.
Russia aims to reshape the European security architecture, reclaim control over its lost territories, and expand its influence into areas once dominated by the Russian Empire and the USSR. It also seeks to extend the anti-West buffer to include countries that have successfully joined the West or are well on their way to doing so," the document added.
Gen. Martin Herem stated, "Comparing contemporary times to the 1930s is not mistaken". Especially since the Russian economy has shifted to a war footing, and its society has been inundated with targeted propaganda and subjected to indoctrination for years.
The Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces emphasised that "we have recently significantly improved our defensive capabilities at sea". This development is vital for the regional situation, particularly as Finland and Sweden have joined NATO in response to Russian aggression against Ukraine.
"Together with Poland and our new allies in NATO, Sweden, and Finland, we should be able to prevent a potential Russian blockade of the Baltic Sea," reads the Estonian report, and Gen. Herem is confident that "more challenging and demanding times are most likely still ahead of us".
Russians in the Baltic have bases in Saint Petersburg and the Kaliningrad region.
