Germany and the Baltic states to create a rapid response group for hybrid threats

The countries of the Baltic Sea region plan to create a joint rapid response group for hybrid threats. Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced the initiative at a security meeting in Flensburg. One of the main areas of work will be countering drones, as well as coordinating actions in case of attacks on critical infrastructure and other acts of sabotage.

According to Berlin's plan, the new mechanism should allow the countries of the region to exchange information much faster and coordinate their response after incidents.

It is not about creating a separate military unit. An operational coordination group is envisaged, which will include high-ranking representatives of the relevant agencies of the participating countries.

In the event of an attack or other serious threat, they will be able to quickly convene, exchange available data, and agree on further actions.

Drones have become one of the main risks

Particular attention at the meeting in Flensburg was paid to drones. European countries are increasingly detecting unknown drones near military facilities, airports, ports, energy and other critical infrastructure.

Dobrindt stated that hybrid threats to the Baltic Sea countries may reach a new level in the coming months.

The German side includes in such threats not only drones in the air and on the water, but also cyber attacks, sabotage, damage to underwater infrastructure, and other operations aimed at destabilizing the countries of the region.

That is why Berlin advocates creating a mechanism that will avoid starting coordination from scratch after each new incident.

Who is participating

The security meeting in Flensburg is attended by representatives of Germany, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Sweden.

Representatives of Norway and Ireland, which holds the presidency of the Council of the EU, are also involved in the talks.

One of the tasks of the meeting is to develop common rules for information exchange and closer cooperation between the law enforcement and security structures of the region's countries.

Protection of the Baltic Sea has been being strengthened for several years

The initiative appeared against the backdrop of a series of incidents with critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. Over the past years, European countries have recorded damage to underwater cables and other facilities, and have repeatedly reported suspicious activity near military and civilian infrastructure.

In parallel, the countries on NATO's eastern flank are increasing their drone detection and interception capabilities and developing the concept of a so-called "drone shield" along Europe's eastern borders.

The new Taskforce is intended to complement these measures precisely at the level of operational cooperation between the Baltic Sea states.

At the same time, the exact composition of the group, its operating procedures, and the timeline for full launch still need to be agreed upon by the participating countries.

Based on materials from: NDR / Tagesschau, Handelsblatt, Süddeutsche Zeitung