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On Nov. 19, the Latvian Navy’s Imanta (M-04) minehunter intercepted the Russian rescue tugboat Nina Sokolova in the international waters of the Baltic Sea, The Insider determined using data from the Starboard Maritime Intelligence tracking service. The data show that the two vessels came into close proximity multiple times over the course of several hours that day, with their paths intersecting repeatedly.
The Nina Sokolova has been sighted near critical Baltic Sea infrastructure numerous times in recent years. In October 2022, the vessel was observed near the Danish coast accompanied by two Russian naval ships — a frigate and a corvette. Although officially listed as a tug and rescue vessel, Western analysts believe it may be used for reconnaissance of undersea infrastructure.
Since the fall of 2024, a series of incidents involving damaged undersea cables and power lines has been observed in the Baltic Sea. In late December of last year, Finland detained the tanker Eagle S, which was suspected of deliberately damaging the Estlink 2 cable between Finland and Estonia. A month earlier, one cable was damaged between Finland and Germany and another between Sweden and Lithuania. The seizure of the Eagle S was lifted in March.
Maritime security experts say Russian vessels have been systematically mapping critical infrastructure on the Baltic Sea floor. According to an international investigation by the Dutch outlet Pointer and journalists in six other countries, at least 72 Russian research and auxiliary vessels have made 428 suspicious voyages near gas pipelines, undersea cables, and offshore wind farms since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
In response to the rising number of incidents, in January 2025 NATO launched Operation Baltic Sentry in order to protect the region’s undersea infrastructure. Up to 10 allied warships are patrolling the Baltic Sea, supported by surveillance aircraft and drones. Latvia is participating actively with its navy, air force, and border guard units.