Operation Baltic Sentry was a NATO "vigilance activity" that was initiated on 14 January 2025 with the objective of deterring, detecting, and countering any attempts by Russia's "shadow fleet" to sabotage critical undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea.
In the aftermath of the damaging of two underwater communications cables by a Chinese cargo ship in the Baltic Sea in November 2024, the Summit of Baltic Sea Allies convened in Helsinki and, on 14 January 2025, worked with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte to create a new military mission to strengthen the protection of critical energy and communication cables from destabilizing acts. Their efforts would include enhanced partnerships with the private sector, including infrastructure operators and cutting-edge technology companies, to deploy innovative solutions and develop new technologies for the surveillance and tracking of suspicious vessels and undersea monitoring. In NATO's joint statement on the start of the operation, the organization called out Russia's "reprehensible practice" of utilizing a shadow fleet to threaten maritime and environmental security in the Black Sea and vowed to take action against suspected vessels that circumvented sanctions and threatened NATO's security, infrastructure, and the environment.