"In order to maintain vigilance, increase situational awareness and prevent future incidents, NATO is increasing its military presence in the Gulf of Finland and the Baltic Sea," Roland Murof, deputy head of strategic communications at the Estonian Ministry of Defense, told ERR radio.

Murof stressed that any form of immediate response, such as boarding a vessel, is primarily the responsibility of each member state.

Murof added that NATO's additional support would help the ongoing naval operation in the region to be conducted over a longer period and in a sustainable manner and would send out a message to the adversary of the Allies' joint action. "We are in close contact with our allies, including Finland and the U.K. It is also important that the Allies have expressed their solidarity with Estonia and Finland," said Murof.

Murof added that the Allies are also considering other measures to counter potential threats to critical undersea infrastructure, including the NATO Critical Undersea Infrastructure Network, which was established in May.

"NATO will announce which measures are to be deployed and when, when the time is right," said Murof.

At a government press conference on Thursday, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal (Reform) said Estonia was ready to react in the same way as Finland had, when a Finnish task force seized and later impounded an oil tanker that had damaged EstLink 2. Michal said this was a topic of discussion among the government cabinet.

"The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) in the course of their law enforcement duties, as well as the Defense Forces (EDF) in their role are prepared to do the same, and we have their assurance that if something like this were to happen, Estonia would act in exactly the same way. Of course, Estonia cannot do that in the exclusive economic zones of other countries," Michal said.

"The way the Finns acted in their exclusive economic zone is the way other countries have to act in the future," he added.

Michal did not give any further details regarding NATO's increased presence. "I can say that NATO has decided to increase its presence in the Baltic Sea. The precise steps will not be announced until they have been taken. Once this presence is increased, the public and all other parties will know about it," Michal said.

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