St. Petersburg harbour. (Photo by Getty Images)
Russia’s Security Council has warned of increasing threats from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) against Russian port infrastructure.
NATO intends to develop “doctrinal documents” aimed at conducting operations on the seabed, seeking to establish a new combat environment in addition to land, air, sea, space, and cyberspace, Grigory Molchanov, deputy secretary of Russia’s Security Council. said in a Friday statement.
“The US-led military bloc is expanding its capacity to target maritime transport, major oil terminals, railway crossings used for fuel deliveries, and large bridges,” RT quoted him as saying.
Molchanov also highlighted the threat posed by Ukraine’s widespread use of unmanned attack boats in the Black Sea.
Moscow has recommended a thorough inspection of foreign activities that could endanger underwater and critical port infrastructure. It also called for strengthening the protection of these facilities to counter potential threats.
Last month, NATO revealed plans to increase its presence in the Baltic Sea under Operation Baltic Sentry, aiming to enhance control over the region. The alliance also accused Russia of damaging underwater cables; an allegation Moscow denied, insisting it has no intention of attacking or interfering with NATO member states' infrastructure.
Russia has strongly condemned NATO’s military buildup near its borders, arguing that the West is attempting to “deprive Russia of access to the Baltic Sea.”
Reaffirming Moscow’s stance, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Aleksandr Grushko recently stated that Russia “will not allow NATO to turn the Baltic Sea into its own internal lake.”