Tallinn and Helsinki are intensifying their cooperation in maritime defense, focusing on developing specific plans to completely shut off the Baltic Sea to Russian ships if necessary, reports Helsingin Sanomat, citing Estonian Defense Forces Commander Major General Andrus Merilo.
“Military cooperation between Finland and Estonia is increasingly centered on naval defense, and the goal is to come up with concrete plans on how the neighboring countries can close the Gulf of Finland to Russian ships in times of threat,” Merilo noted.
He stated, “Militarily, this is feasible; we are prepared for it, and we are moving in that direction.”
Previously, Jaakko Puuperä, the former editor-in-chief of the military magazine Suomen Sotilas, asserted that “technically, closing the Gulf of Finland is possible.”
He believes that in the event of war in the Gulf, other forms of warfare, such as electronic warfare, could be used in addition to traditional combat means.
It was previously reported that Russia may have been involved in the October 2023 destruction of the Balticconnector pipeline between Estonia and Finland and the damage to the fiber-optic cable off the Svalbard archipelago in January 2022.
On October 10, the Finnish government declared that Russia attacked the Baltic Connector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia.
A ship from China may be linked to the pipeline damage, according to Estonian media.
