German defence minister: Russia increasing its presence in Baltic Sea
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has stated that Russia has been increasing its presence in the Baltic Sea for some time now.
Source: n-tv, citing Pistorius, as reported by European Pravda
Pistorius noted a significant increase in the presence of Russian naval and civilian vessels in the Baltic Sea, with occasional appearances by Chinese vessels.
Quote: "This underscores the Baltic Sea’s strategic importance for many countries, particularly Russia and China, especially when it comes to circumventing sanctions," the minister said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio.
Pistorius also highlighted Russia’s repeated provocations, reminiscent of Cold War tactics.
Quote: "We’ve had several incidents in the Baltic Sea that escalated to warning shots being fired into the air and water," Pistorius explained.
The German defence minister compared this to incidents where Russian fighter jets, flying without identification markings, entered Baltic airspace to test NATO’s response.
Background:
- Earlier, the media reported an incident in the Baltic Sea involving a Russian ship and a German helicopter conducting a reconnaissance mission. The crew of the Russian vessel were said to have fired flares at the helicopter.
- However, a spokesperson for the German Ministry of Defence declined to comment on the report.
Support UP or become our patron!
