Earlier, a Polish Foreign Ministry source had told TVP World that such an incident had taken place. Donald Tusk, Poland’s prime minister, said that if confirmed, it would be “sufficient reason to take immediate action.”
With Baltic Sea nations jumpy over recent suspected sabotage of underwater cables, any suspicious maneuvers in the area would heighten concerns over the vulnerability to attack of vital energy infrastructure lying on the seabed.
Pawel Wroński, a spokesman at the Polish Foreign Ministry, said that he did not currently have any information about a 'shadow fleet' vessel circling over the Baltic Pipe pipeline.
The Polish army’s Operational Command said on the X social media platform: “In reference to reports appearing in the media today about a ship from the Russian ‘shadow fleet’ circling near the Polish Baltic Pipe gas pipeline, the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces does not confirm this information – the described incident did not take place.”
It added: “Since 2022, Operation Zatoka has been ongoing, within the framework of which the Polish Navy is taking actions to monitor and protect critical infrastructure located in the Polish exclusive economic zone in the Baltic Sea.”
The Foreign Ministry source who spoke to TVP World did not specify whether the suspected shadow-fleet vessel was operating in Poland’s exclusive economic zone or in the waters of another country.
‘I will not act hastily’
Poland’s prime minister, speaking at a press conference at a NATO summit in the Finnish capital, Helsinki, said: “If some Russian ship performs suspicious maneuvers near the gas pipeline, that is sufficient reason to take immediate action.”
But he cautioned: “These are serious matters, and I will not act hastily.”
He added: “As soon as I have any information, I will also inform the public about what action we have taken, if [the news] is confirmed.”
Polish pipeline operator Gaz-System said on Tuesday the Baltic Pipe was operating normally, without disruptions.
New sea mission
The same day, NATO announced it was launching a new mission called Baltic Sentry, which will aim “to provide enhanced surveillance and deterrence” in the Baltic Sea.
The move came as regional leaders met in Helsinki along with the military alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte.
Poland will
commit four ships to a NATO Baltic Sea ‘policing force,’ foreign ministry sources told TVP World.
Late last year, a ship reportedly belonging to the so-called shadow fleet, a group of vessels unregulated and uninsured by conventional Western providers, and used by Russia to circumvent sanctions on energy exports, allegedly
severed a number of Baltic cables.
