This initiative comes in response to increasing tensions and incidents, including suspected Russian sabotage of undersea cables, which have highlighted the strategic significance of the area.

In connection with these events, Finnish police are investigating the Eagle S, a Cook Islands-flagged tanker suspected of involvement in the sabotage, which has been seized for further examination.

French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu condemned this aggressive Russian action as unacceptable, labeling it an intimidation tactic.

On January 14, 2025, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced a new mission named 'Baltic Sentry' aimed at protecting undersea cables in the Baltic region.

Notably, on December 25, 2024, the EstLink 2 cable connecting Finland to Estonia was damaged, following similar incidents involving telecommunications cables in Swedish waters.

The French aircraft monitored approximately 200 vessels, primarily civilian, during its nearly five-hour mission, without identifying any suspicious activities.

Lecornu reaffirmed France's commitment to defend freedom of navigation in international air and maritime spaces, emphasizing the importance of maintaining security in the region.

In a show of force, an Atlantique-2 aircraft from the French Navy conducted a surveillance flight over the Baltic Sea as part of the NATO operation.

However, the mission was not without incident, as a Russian S-400 air defense system targeted its fire control radar at the French aircraft on the night of January 16, 2025.

General Christopher Cavoli, NATO's commander in Europe, described the incident as serious and indicative of a broader pattern of aggressive Russian behavior affecting air traffic.

This incident reflects the heightened tensions with Russia, which have become a new normal along NATO's eastern border.

Despite the hostile act, the professionalism of the French crew prevented any escalation during their mission.