NATO's standing maritime group is to set off from its base in the German port of Kiel for the Baltic Sea to monitor critical underwater infrastructure following several suspected acts of sabotage, the group's commander said on Friday.

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.

NATO launched a new Baltic Sea mission that will add military capabilities into the strategic waterway as concerns over suspected Russian sabotage and aggression in the area ratchet up.