Vice Admiral Krzysztof Jaworski, Commander of the Maritime Component Command, told the Reuters news agency that Moscow is systematically employing such tactics to conceal its own vessel movements and disrupt other maritime activities, including energy transport.
“Russia is testing the West by jamming communications and the ability to track ships in the Baltic,” Jaworski said. He described the hybrid conflict at sea as the region’s most significant challenge.
"We are talking about aggressive Russian behavior," he added. "They are trying to disrupt our daily lives and also test how far they can go against us as an alliance."
The Russian defense ministry did not respond to requests for a comment, Reuters reported.
Moscow has previously denied similar accusations, claiming that Western countries seek to destabilize it from within, according to Reuters.
Jaworski said that since the 2022 attack on the Nord Stream gas pipeline, Russian commercial vessels have repeatedly switched off their Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals—a violation of maritime law that increases the risk of collisions and accidents.
Though it is not possible to monitor Polish waters around the clock, Jaworski emphasized that Poland remains secure due to joint national and allied operations in the Baltic Sea.
He cautioned that while NATO stands ready to maintain its advantage in the Baltic, Moscow might deploy additional warships to the region.
Polish officials anticipate the return of Russian vessels currently based in Syria to St. Petersburg’s waters.
"Any extra vessel of significant strength could pose a potential threat," Jaworski said.
Asked how Poland and its allies would respond if Russia intensifies its presence, he stated that they would focus on observation, monitoring, and maintaining a visible presence at sea.
"This ensures any potential adversary sees we are prepared to act," he said.
(jh/gs)
Source: Reuters, TVN24