Security

In April 2023, Scandinavian journalists uncovered that Russia was running a large-scale programme to spy on offshore wind farms, submarine cables and pipelines, and other infrastructure in the North and Baltic Seas. Security experts say the activities are likely to prepare the ground for sabotage. Foreign Policy commented: “Russian ‘Ghost Ships’ Are Turning the Seabed into a Future Battlefield”. In response to this threat, the North and Baltic Sea countries have joined forces. Part of the effort is to increase the naval presence in the region. Moreover, NATO has established a cell and a network for coordinating the protection of critical undersea infrastructure. Protecting maritime infrastructure from sabotage is extremely difficult – not just for practical reasons. There are also significant legal challenges (for an in-depth discussion of these legal challenges with regard to Russia’s mapping activities, see here). Limited Coastal State Jurisdiction in the EEZ In its territorial…