A French Navy Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft was illuminated by the fire-control radar of a Russian long-range air defense system, while flying over the Baltic Sea earlier this week, according to France’s Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu.

NATO countries will deploy frigates, patrol aircraft and naval drones in the Baltic Sea to help protect critical infrastructure and reserve the right to take action against ships suspected of posing a security threat,

Estonian naval ships are taking part in stepped-up patrols in the Baltic Sea by NATO countries after undersea power and communications cables have been damaged in recent months.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced on Tuesday a new mission, dubbed Baltic Sentry, to safeguard undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region.

NATO announced on Tuesday that it will beef up its patrol of the Baltic Sea in the light of past infrastructure damage to cables on the sea floor.

NATO warships began patrolling the Baltic Sea this week. Some of the ships are anchored in Tallinn's Mine Harbor, ERR reports. Warships have begun patrolling as part of the Baltic Guard program. Three NATO ships anchored in Tallinn.

A French patrol aircraft operating in international airspace over the Baltic Sea as part of a NATO observation mission was detected by the radar of the Russian S-400 air defence system. French Defence Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned this action,