Nato speeds up Baltic Sea response as Russian oil shipments face heightened scrutiny

Nato has cut its response time in the Baltic Sea from 17 hours to just one hour over the past 18 months, with Russian oil transport under close watch, Finnish public broadcaster Yle reports.

The alliance’s rapid reaction force now reaches potential incidents far faster due to improved cooperation, intelligence-sharing, and technology, according to British Rear Admiral Maryla Ingham, commander of Nato’s standing maritime group. She noted that while Ukrainian drone strikes briefly disrupted Russian oil shipments via Koivisto and Laukaansuu ports, traffic has since returned to pre-attack levels.

Finnish officials share concerns over the so-called “shadow fleet” of oil tankers. Commodore Marko Laaksonen, head of operations for the Finnish Navy, warned that many vessels now operating in the Baltic lack crews familiar with local conditions. “International sanctions have forced Russia to rely on operators who don’t meet Western standards,” he said, adding that the ships are increasingly poorly maintained.

Nato’s maritime command in Northwood, UK, monitors regional traffic and protects critical infrastructure, with EU and national authorities also contributing. Two Nato rapid-response vessels are currently docked in Turku for maintenance.