Needle controlled waters since the full scale russian invasion of ukraine. A new iron curtain divides. East and west. The threat of further escalation now looms large. On february 24th 2022, the day of russias invasion, the german navy mobilized its forces to this point, it was a very spontaneous and very intense response of the russians invasion of you crime, which was a violation of international law. We sent everything that confirmed into the baltic sea inside the house should meet or respond to russias aggression. Its a question thats now being asked across the region. The Baltic States, which were once part of the soviet union, have called for a united front against we contacted these to plan to, uh, you know, uh, defend the country alone and then the neighborhood afterwards. Saint petersburg is one of russias few Access Points to the baltic. Sea, from here, russias leadership is determined to stake its claim as an imperial power on the seas push away. This was more than this during the months go forth. Once our navy is capable of responding with lightnings, leading to anyone who wants to encroach on our sovereignty and freedom, choose to do what could execute Strategic Task successfully in honor of somebody in the room or are you in the middle of the russia is also threatening to use Nuclear Weapons that could easily reach every city in europe, the, i am afraid of Nuclear Weapons. Yes, im afraid also because i live in bro linda the today almost the entire baltic sea surrounded by needle Member States and nato allies, sweden, russia has only 2 Access Points to lean in, rod and st. Petersburg. 6 palaces, even though so named, so has direct access to strategic positions and the bold succeeds because for example, the islands of government, but also fields infinity and among other places destitute in that. So Russian Naval access to the baltic sea could be blocked in the event of well have, you know, 6 for yourself. Okay. Of them. It was a very different picture before the fall of the soviet union. During the cold war, the baltic sea was almost entirely surrounded by warsaw pact, countries, the soviet union and its satellite states. And by the neutral states of finland and sweden. It was a position of power which protein appears to want back but today, the de facto balance of power on the worlds oceans is undeniable. Nieto has 16 aircraft carriers. Russia has one. Nato, has 13 helicopter carriers. Russia has none. Nieto has 135 frigates. Russia has 11 nato has over 2000 to military ships under its compact. Russia has just under 600, but russias underwater capabilities are formidable. The country has more than 40 Nuclear Powered submarines around 10 on with Nuclear Weapons. Drugs from leadership savings of russia, as of a superpower. And the only reason why can be conceded to the superpower is the flags at its nuclear. Also. Now, is because stuff all except for the united states. They do play these cards all the time. And thats why they, we, they are in terms of conventional weapons, very strong guys. They attempt station to use for, for 3 of them. Uh, using uh Nuclear Weapons. But the relationship between russia and the west on the baltic sea was not always as fractured as it is. Today. A former german chancellor. Im going to america, and president Vladimir Putin song regular contract, apparently hoping to maintain good economic relations get measured by the order. Is that good stuff even though just eat so just to let you know that i will do . What do you see with your question . Which was of the same things change get the most of the will be near the premium. Id say the final break came in september 2012, the discharge enough to go with them. The ability, hilton had decided to remain in power forever so that there would be no more transition of power. So you know, just to build fee that theyre able to put them funding in their own. I dont know, im just going you shouldnt go to just to settle. And for that he needed an external enemy, a super human animation devotion. He was at the snow hung over and you cant find a better enemy. The nato eat lots of sham, not the garden, you presume . With the soviet union had collapsed with needle remained and even gained new members for approaching the needle. Expansion is fundamental to his narrative. Cloud diction. Yeah. Russias these, ne, so as it may not just theory, the one that poses the grace of the threat. So sure. At least from the russian perspective, im not just in military terms. I know some must go relates fear that nato was planning a kind of to, to talk to the post the government, the other give them got to thats russ stock is the strategically important of naval base and home to the german naval command, vice admiral frump lensky, is one of the countrys highest ranking officers, but his task is not purely a military one. The o. C is i need to know soon as the ball succeeds, an International Body of water, making them with speaking, its extremely important to maintain open shipping words. Thats also true for russia, by the way, at least one side of its imports and exports passed through some pages back or so. So russia also has a great deal of interest in keeping the baltic see result is the dealing in is a german mind hunting vessel. It patrols the baltic sea along with many other nato vessels. For a long time, the underwater threat here was largely fear radical was im willing to just back. So he says, i think thats good on the, im the, this is a military vessel i used to detect the presence or absence of mine is because its all like we have to send to detect them and on. So im the equipment to destroy the all done finished and so can, in addition to that, so im going okay, we can also line mines off south league. The mission has become broader and more dangerous. Since the start of the invasion of ukraine, new threats have emerged, such as underwater attacks on pipelines and threats to internet and power cables. Yes, and thats outside this, so nobody let me out and divide doesnt always covered up to that. We now have a new responsibility conducting on the water monitoring. We have set up any changes on the scene back out in the monitors at frequent intervals, leasing, often in the port knocked off the phone was the whole the investigation of the attacks. I know it stream pipeline to im speak of the not seeing pipeline, lieutenant fritz can provide any details. The mission is classified. Who exactly carried out. The attack is still a matter of speculation. All of the, the crew ive been dealing and conduct frequent drills to prepare for emergencies like defending the ship from a direct assault. Ok. So there by the not either but yeah. Just yeah. So is it possible to do . Yeah. One scenario is an attack by terrorists on a speed boat. Yeah, yeah. Right. The russian warships are still deployed on the baltic. The beginning. What was interesting, youve said, are you all counsellors with russian ships . Do you happen to hear the bone succeeds on some bad fall throws on, so we do have encounters like god, but they all take place under the principles of good semen shipped. And to me, its like a gentlemans agreement because i think of which you dont hang during the vessels progress. I think, of course, because we keep a close eye on what theyre doing. Good. And if theres anything unusual if its reported to me and gets advice about that, those reports are also strictly classified, habitable getting it the all the the both the wish you a 2nd later. Why the to to us us . Yeah. Like was on small noise. Yeah, nito, finland and sweden have also conducted drawing naval exercises even before finland joins. Nato is because, well thats what it says. I got a corporation is very, very close it on for several years now. Weve seen frequency invitations to take parts and international move. This under, its not unusual for the finish in swedish, navy is to join us on exercise by owns mit it sweden and finland, particularly feel the threat from russia. Sweden has applied for nato membership. Been joined in 2023. Its border with russia is more than 1300 kilometers long. In land is jasmine and had always been neutral. It made a deliberate decision to remain outside of nato for a very long time. It based it Security Strategy on remaining neutral and maintaining. I would say that and so even good relations with russia as much as possible, even during the cold war. And i think it was at the same time finland to maintain the strong military, especially along with the russian border. It strategy, the best possible relations with russia and the best possible defense against this cost benefit calculation hasnt gone dimensionally changed since the war against ukraine bowl. This historical speaking germanys defense minister in january 2023 said something about the tone, but i want to emphasize again that germany is by a clear margin, the highest contributor to ukraine and the European Union started. We are proud to provide the support because we believe it is important and necessary, and after the usa we are on par with great britain. Every military conflict, everywhere of aggression against us up in states always carries the risk of escalation is collect your gen, stoughton for the norwegians. Secretary general of nato, has been a key advocate of nato enlargement in europe from the start. Your so said attack on ukraine is more than the tackle. New crane is that its a devastating horrendous attack on, but in a sense are people in ukraine, but is also an attack on the holes if you the pin security order. And thats the reason why we take it so extremely serious. Stokes and bread also regularly travels to stock home to meet with the Swedish Defense administer, pull the on so on and offer his support for the countries efforts to join me to some a aerial, to open book. Thats that, can you get the through the shows the outbreak of war on february 24th. Its been clear that russia is prepared to take Major Military and Political Risk and we have to be prepared for that. Next of that, one thing weve learned from this war is that if you want to have access to article 5 to natos defense guarantees and noodles defense planning, you have to be a full member of nato. This results on the ending the most, some of my food in vidalia nieto headquarters in brussels. Although rochelle wanted to weaken the alliance. The attack on ukraine has had the opposite effect. In may 2022, finland, and sweden submitted their official letter of application to join nato as they moved by the lender. Then one of the 2 countries submitted their applications. I realized we were witnessing history in the making. After all those countries, when you troll for a long time, probably evolved sweden for more than 200 years. And the fitness became neutral toward the alliance in the 1950s sizable. So not entirely voluntarily. Weve been working closely with both countries, so it was an exciting, big moment. My phone, im cause only the Swedish Defense university, and stockholm is an elite school for future military leaders. Yackel best bag and internationally recognized expert in war studies. Teachers here the halls are steeped in history, a concrete at the cost gum, snow depths, but of the live show thats friday. Okay, and thats good news is wrong to much to sweden and finland reply from the time i missed you. I missed a couple of minutes. The russian government basically said to thats no surprise to us. Yeah, i mean you can also that west and well for a long time, clear the high your into so still if we not and you know to, we got the had, i was a week response of soul people because it was a major strategic the fee to rush me at the house and i didnt want to admit that its the old stuff to you. I just need to know its a military parade in moscow. On may, 9th, 2023, march the 78th anniversary of the soviet victory over nazi germany. The, the kremlin itself has broad nato, even closer to russias borders with this war against ukraine, the, and yet people in russia dont see this as a defeat. As Russian Foreign ministers sergey lab ross made clear at the United Nations on april 25th 2023. Theres your cell phone so that i see a but that was but of the thirtys, little shooting. Youre not that little you unable supported with the claim, is that rush to try to prevent nato expansion. Well, no, thats how they see it. From there, i re tower we to have our ivory towers. And the conclusions of unbiased observers and political analysts in russia and abroad, which was that nato wanted to break up the Russian Federation and ended up uniting it was the money that i see is good figured its like, you know, youll split to the Nikolai Petroff is a Russian Security expert who lives in exile in germany its easy to present whatever is going as a victorious move for rush and even defeats in these war wage could be seen as humans. A team defeats i can see that to be not that much defense because there are, should oppose this, not ukraine. If that poses the whole west, it oppose this made the which is much stronger. But nevertheless, russia is doing pretty well in view of criminals, propagandists and general la police. Oh, jerome inova is a well known journalist and human rights activist and russia. She also lives in exile in germany. Which and would you go to was uh, new quote and can afford to lose this for any of the keys. Acting according to the churchill doctrine, directly sole chit chatted with us again. The blue and the churchill said, if napoleon had had the prompt a newspaper, no one would ever have known that he lost the battle of waterloo, and well put you on, was a pretty good and you can afford to lose the ukraine war. And were still just convinced the russian people, but theyre actually winning the war. We go in stock on the united states, make clear. It also stands behind sweden speed to join nato, a semester. Thanks for hosting me today and, and thanks for the warm welcome. And the special thanks for those great, one of the 1st you have made the bow and historic decision to apply for nato membership. And you have the full and firm support of the united states. But what will nato gain from the membership of these 2 countries . Which may be geographically large, but have a relatively small population. Only 16000000. 00 people in all the on steam in each house and should be looking at the middle trees of sweden and finland. Its evident that they both have well equipped and powerful armed forces. All theyll contribute today to defensive capabilities for taking well adding little to natures cost and dental. I just didnt get those costs. These vis be class court bank warships belonging to the swedish, maybe our state of the art meeting, the psych money inter mall. Definitely we have a strong naval force cause we build and design submarines and operate them in the baltic sea or then we have a skilled, played with modern corvettes and the ability to operate in coastal areas to move um the idea that you just now you also have a Strong Defense industry in sweden, city, out of bosses, right. And theres no other country in the world with 10000000 inhabitants that can build and design both submarines and combat aircraft for those 2 days clicked on another important factor is good land. A swedish island in the baltic sea. Busy chalk those coming to get them the opportunity to put it on. So sale and o told him hes one of 3 strategic being pulled some times in. The baltic sea region are treat for and homes another item. Its a danish territory. So, you know, to not far from russias canadian graphic, im just tossed the entry way to the politics. A con spot on the golf outlet is not the only significant time at all central alarm, but its like a non single line across kerio instantly a place or a military force is, can be stationed notice board for, for, to go through. And ill say at pretty tough the baltic, she was also on the front lines during the cold war when germany was still divided and the countries of nato and the warsaw pact were enemies. The balance of power in the region at that time is difficult to assess military strength is not just about the number of ships and soldiers. Its also a question of the quality of the ships weapons and training for the crews. Overall, the warsaw pact forces probably had an edge the this is a rocket corvette, a worship from the former east german folks, some of the know the peoples navy in the 1980 his whole goodnight or captain to ship. Much like this one in the feeling came on board in the labor this one or 6 in the middle. We had 4 missiles on board with a range of 80 kilometers and an altitude of 25 to 50 meters to engage. So our mission was to destroy the Enemy Surface forces, mainly and then a Rocket Launcher since the enemy mine layers. The enemys offensive forces opens these Customer Base photos from the 1980s document every day life on board. In retrospect, it seems like the calm before the store, the close item does of industry for the most of the large vessels and the soviet lead would have been moved to the atlantic to find the enemy forces. There is our aim was to take control of it straight from our side, the dana streams and then extend our control only one. Also the bingo pfeifer also served as captain in the east german navy on the baltic sea during the cold war. These normally calm waters became very dangerous to us to buy. And so it could be that this dark, some concept thought soon the baltic sea, the marine region, with the highest concentration of naval force as an air force as a field, according to more of a search for about 1350. 00 naval vessels was stationed here in the baltic sea area that includes night to naval forces on the wall. So tact im sending and then sweden as neutral status. So thats on the whole set about 600 had a cop, doesnt that planes going this marine region . So we have the largest concentration of Ministry Forces in the worlds best bet. Nieto and the warsaw pact states were constantly preparing for war. The 2 sides were engaged in an arms race, including in the baltic sea. A major confrontation appeared imminent and to both sides feared that the other might resort to Nuclear Weapons. And yet it did not come to ward. So