The UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) will contribute capabilities to respond to critical infrastructure breaches in the Baltic and North Sea regions, Lithuania’s Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
The decision follows an incident in October when a ship is believed to have damaged a gas pipeline connecting Estonia and Finland in the Baltic Sea.
According to the ministry, this is the first time that the JEF response has been activated following an actual incident.
“Repeated breaches of critical infrastructure in the region are a serious signal. The response requires coordination, and we thank and support the Joint Expeditionary Force for its initiative,” Deputy Defence Minister Žilvinas Tomkus told a virtual meeting of JEF defence ministers on Tuesday.
The meeting agreed to activate the JEF Response Option, where maritime and air capabilities will be deployed in the Nordic-Baltic region as a military contribution to the protection of critical underwater infrastructure.
The measure will be launched in early December to demonstrate capability and deter hostile actions and will ensure a security presence and strengthen the common efforts with NATO in the Baltic Sea.
“We see the JEF as one of the first responses to any crisis, and the activation of the response is proof that the JEF is a credible European security actor,” Tomkus said.
In his words, the security of critical infrastructure remains high on the agenda in Lithuania, and the Defence Ministry is working hard to enhance the resilience and protection of critical infrastructure.
LRT English
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