NATO and its eight Baltic Sea allies say they are stepping up efforts to deter 'any attempts at sabotage' in the wake of a series of incidents that have damaged key undersea power and telecommunications cables.

NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region after a string of incidents that have heightened concerns about possible Russian activities, the alliance’s leader said.

The move marks yet another step in the systematic military encircling of Russia by the US-led military alliance, which continues to back the far-right Ukrainian regime in a war aimed at inflicting a strategic defeat on Moscow and subjugating its territory to semi-colonial status.

By Anne Kauranen, Essi Lehto and Andreas Rinke HELSINKI (Reuters) -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,

NATO's standing maritime group is to set off from its base in the German port of Kiel for the Baltic Sea to strengthen security and monitor critical underwater infrastructure following recent sabotage concerns.

A large Nato flotilla has gathered off the coast of Estonia, with the goal of securing the critical undersea cables and pipelines that run across the Baltic Sea. This mission comes in response to a series of incidents where important infrastructure was damaged,

"Ruptures of undersea cables that have rattled European security officials in recent months were likely the result of maritime accidents rather than Russian sabotage, according to several U.S. and European intelligence officials,

A NATO flotilla has been assembled off the coast of Estonia as the military alliance strengthens its presence in the region to safeguard critical undersea cables. Following recent accusations of Russian sabotage in the Baltic Sea,