Finnish maritime security and infrastructure protection

Finland has intensified maritime security measures in the Baltic Sea to protect critical undersea infrastructure, such as power cables and gas pipelines. Following several incidents since 2022, authorities have implemented drills involving the coast guard, police, and armed forces to practice boarding and searching vessels suspected of sabotage.

Coast Guard Commander Ilja Iljin described these preparations as reflecting “the new normal” in response to potential threats from divers, mini-submarines, or underwater robots. To bolster these efforts, the Finnish government is seeking expanded powers for the Border Guard to inspect suspicious vessels and intervene against unmanned underwater vehicles.

Security efforts have expanded to include large-scale, EU-level exercises like Livex 2. Led by the Finnish Border Guard and involving Polish personnel, these drills focus on vessel seizure, person apprehension, and casualty evacuation to strengthen cooperation among Baltic Sea partners. Concurrently, discussions have emerged regarding the integration of air surveillance technology, such as radar sensors, into wind turbines to enhance drone detection and defense operations.