As part of the activation, JEF partners and Nato will now be alerted by the system, named Nordic Warden, to any ships deemed a risk to key areas of interest while it will also work to monitor the Russian “shadow fleet”.

This activation follows the 10-nation JEF, of which the UK is the framework nation, expressing concern at the damage caused to Estlink2.

The operation, activated last week, harnesses AI to assess data from a range of sources, including the Automatic Identification System (AIS) ships use to broadcast their position, to calculate the risk posed by each vessel nearby to important undersea infrastructure.

Estlink 2 is a set of HVDC submarine power cables between Estonia and Finland. An unplanned outage on Christmas Day 2024 reduced the Estonia–Finland cross-border capacity from 1,016MW to 358MW.

A number of theories have arisen that the cable was sabotaged by the Russian tanker Eagle S, which has previously been alleged to be part of Russia’s shadow fleet. This fleet was assembled to evade international sanctions placed on Russia to limit its exportation of crude oil and natural gas in response to the nation’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

Finnish Police stated shortly after the incident it was investigating whether the damage to Estlink 2 was caused by Eagle S dragging its anchor along the seabed. The Estlink 2 incident followed further occurrences of undersea cables in the Baltic Sea being damaged or completely severed over the past few years.

Specific vessels identified as being part of Russia’s shadow fleet have been registered into Nordic Warden so they can be closely monitored when approaching key areas of interest.

If a potential risk is assessed, the system will monitor the suspicious vessel in real time and immediately send out a warning, which will be shared with JEF participant nations as well as Nato allies.

The UK has led international efforts to disrupt the shadow fleet. As part of the initiative launched by prime minister Keir Starmer at the European Political Community last year, the UK has sanctioned 93 oil tankers which Putin has been using to “soften the blow” of sanctions and bankroll his illegal war in Ukraine.

Nordic Warden was activated last week under JEF protocols, which provide a series of options to the JEF that can be activated in order to protect against potential threats.

The activation of Nordic Warden announcement progresses last month’s agreement between the UK, Denmark, Sweden, Poland, Finland and Estonia to request proof of insurance from suspected shadow vessels as they pass along the Baltic route.

There are 22 areas of interest, including parts of the English Channel, North Sea, Kattegat and Baltic Sea, currently being monitored from the JEF’s operational headquarters in Northwood.

Nordic Warden was first trialled during the summer of 2024 and again during the JEF’s Exercise Joint Protector, which saw more than 300 UK personnel deploy to Latvia to demonstrate its ability to deploy the operational headquarters for JEF abroad at short notice.

JEF is comprised of the 10 nations, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Netherlands, Sweden and the UK.

Starmer said: “Growth and national security are vital to our Plan for Change, which is why this government is working closely with our allies to protect critical national infrastructure, such as undersea cables.

“I am pleased we are launching this cutting-edge technology so soon after the JEF Summit to enhance European security and deliver on our Plan for Change.”

Defence secretary John Healey said: “The UK and JEF are leading the way in providing support to our Allies to help safeguard the offshore infrastructure we all rely on against potential threats.

“Nordic Warden will help protect against both deliberate acts of sabotage as well as cases of extreme negligence which we have seen cause damage to underwater cables.

“Harnessing the power of AI, this UK-led system is a major innovation which allows us the unprecedented ability to monitor large areas of the sea with a comparatively small number of resources, helping us stay secure at home and strong abroad.”

Commenting on the reported Estlink2 damage, a joint statement from JEF said: “This is another example of maritime incidents causing direct economic and security implications for Finland and Estonia, highlighting the risks to vital communication and energy networks essential for the security and prosperity of all our nations.

“The JEF commends Finland and Estonia for their decisive actions in dealing with the Estlink-2 power cable incident. We remain committed to supporting Participant Nations, Nato and allies in safeguarding our shared interests and regional stability.

“Keeping the country safe is the government’s first priority, and an integral part of its Plan for Change. The work of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force, is critical to the security and stability of the UK, and Nordic Warden will help protect against threats.”

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