After a series of suspected undersea cable cuttings, NATO has launched a new surveillance and deterrence mission to protect critical infrastructure under the Baltic Sea.

NATO is deploying eyes in the sky and on the Baltic Sea to protect cables and pipelines that stitch together the nine countries with Baltic shores.

Russia has condemned the Western alliance for ramping up its naval presence in the so-called 'NATO lake' after alleged sabotage by Moscow-linked vessels.

Estonia's defence minister on Wednesday said ships may have to pay a fee to use the Baltic Sea to cover costs of protecting undersea cables.

The alliance mounted its first coordinated response to a suspected sabotage campaign against critical infrastructure after another cable was severed in the Baltic Sea.

TradeWinds reported this week that Bulgarian bulker owner Navibulgar admitted that one of its ships may have cut an undersea cable in the Baltic Sea over the weekend, but dismissed sabotage claims.

Shipping firms may need to pay a fee to use the Baltic Sea, one of the world's busiest shipping routes, in order to cover the high costs of protecting undersea cables, Estonia's defence minister said on Wednesday following a spate of breaches.

The RAF is providing RC-135 Rivet Joint and P-8 Poseidon MRA1 aircraft from the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR)

Russia is "the main actor" in hybrid attacks on the alliance, said a senior NATO official following a spate of incidents.

China and Russia look like the prime suspects for severed cables in the Baltic and Taiwan Strait, Beijing and the war in Ukraine, the tech race takes off, and much more.

Nato countries have stepped up patrols to protect critical underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, which is bordered by eight countries, and other waters. A Royal Navy submarine was ordered to surface last November close to a suspected Russian spy ship which was loitering over undersea infrastructure in UK waters.