The Baltic Sea has become an area of rising tension between NATO and Russia.
Several European nations depend on it for trade, military operations, and energy transport.
In recent months, concerns have grown over sabotage after multiple undersea cables were damaged. European leaders suspect these incidents are part of a broader strategy.
NATO has increased surveillance in the region, leading to more encounters between Western and Russian forces.
A Jamming Attempt
According to the French military, a French Navy aircraft on a NATO surveillance mission was targeted by Russian forces on January 16 while flying over the Baltic Sea.
The aircraft was conducting a routine patrol in response to recent damage to undersea cables, which European officials believe may have been deliberate, according to L'Independent.
During the flight, the aircraft experienced "a jamming attempt" and was "designated by a fire control radar," according to a statement from the French military.
Colonel Guillaume Vernet, spokesperson for the French Armed Forces, told AFP that "illuminating our aircraft with radar while it operates in international waters is an aggressive action."
He also noted that such incidents "are not exceptional in this area" and that Russia is "not remaining passive." He added that the professionalism of the French crew "prevented any escalation" and allowed the mission to continue.
The Russian military had little reason to escalate further since "an attack on a NATO aircraft could cause a sudden and serious escalation with the alliance," Vernet stated.
General Christopher Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe, called the incident "fairly common" and said that similar events occur outside of Europe as well.
The French Atlantic 2 aircraft had taken off from Brittany and spent nearly five hours patrolling off the coast of Sweden and the Baltic states. It monitored approximately 200 vessels, mostly civilian, but did not detect any suspicious activity.
Concerns about sabotage in the Baltic Sea have been increasing. On December 25, the EstLink 2 power cable between Finland and Estonia, along with four other communication cables, was damaged.
Finnish authorities are investigating a Russian-linked tanker, Eagle S, which has been seized as part of the inquiry.
