Observing from the deck of a Finnish patrol ship, I witnessed armed individuals descending from a helicopter and launching an assault on the vessel.
The masked security personnel swiftly made their way to the ship’s control center, vociferously asserting their authority. Fortunately, this was merely a practice drill conducted by the Finnish Border Guard, responsible for safeguarding an 830-mile boundary along NATO’s eastern perimeter in the face of Russian threats. The unit actively engages with vessels linked to Putin’s clandestine operations in the Gulf of Finland and has conducted raids on ships suspected of tampering with vital undersea cables.
Donning camouflage attire, the personnel demonstrated the procedure for taking over a suspected vessel to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper during her recent visit to Finland and Norway. The proximity to Russia felt palpable as we boarded the Turva, an offshore patrol vessel, in Helsinki, overlooking the Gulf of Finland, which extends towards St Petersburg, the easternmost part of the Baltic Sea.
Given Russia’s close proximity, Finland navigates challenges posed by Putin’s subversive activities and hybrid warfare tactics. Foreign Secretary Cooper’s trip underscores the threat posed by the Russian shadow fleet to Britain.
During our conversation, she intensified her call for decisive actions to counter the network of aging oil tankers operating under questionable flags. These vessels not only evade Western sanctions, indirectly funding Putin’s activities in Ukraine, but are also accused of disrupting undersea cables crucial for telecommunications and energy supply networks, including electricity, oil, and gas.
Reports suggest that the UK is exploring legal options to board these vessels, following its recent support to US special forces in a high-stakes operation targeting a tanker linked to Russia. The escalating tensions in the Arctic region coincide with the Foreign Secretary’s visit to the area.
The growing impact of climate change, resulting in warmer seas and the emergence of new shipping routes due to melting ice, has sparked geopolitical competition. Concerns have heightened amid Donald Trump’s expressed intentions to acquire Greenland, a territory of Denmark, elevating the issue on the global agenda.
With a focus on asserting its role in shaping security in the Arctic region alongside NATO allies, Britain aims to demonstrate its strategic relevance. However, potential disruptions loom, particularly if the US President follows through on his contentious statements.