MOSCOW, February 14. /TASS/. NATO countries are intensifying their efforts to disrupt maritime trade routes and undermine Russian civilian and military fleets - an activity that could be characterized as a form of piracy, according to Alexander Stepanov, a military expert at the Institute of Law and National Security at the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA).

As Bloomberg previously reported, citing sources, British Defense Secretary John Healey engaged in discussions with counterparts from Scandinavia and the Baltic states regarding the interception of tankers believed to be connected to Russia. The meeting of the Joint Expeditionary Force - a coalition of ten nations - took place on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Stepanov commented, "It appears that Britain is now de facto leading this initiative, and in Munich, we observed a kind of piratical collusion from above. I am convinced that NATO naval departments, particularly those in Northern Europe, are actively working alongside Britain to enhance efforts to block maritime trade routes, conduct sabotage against Russian civilian and military fleets, rehearse scenarios for closing the Danish straits, and develop measures aimed at obstructing maritime navigation."

He further explained that conditions have already been established for the routine deployment of maritime and aerial patrols, which facilitate the coordination and implementation of new strategies to impair Russian capabilities in the Baltic-Arctic region. "These joint expeditionary forces are currently being reinforced with surface naval assets. Britain, Germany, and other regional allies are supporting the construction and commissioning of new surface ships, including frigates and destroyers. Additionally, surface and underwater strike reconnaissance drones are being actively developed," Stepanov noted.

He emphasized Norway's significant role, highlighting the involvement of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace, as well as Sweden's military-industrial complex, which is focusing on developing and deploying advanced stealth submarines designed for operations in the Baltic Sea.