Germany moves to set up Baltic Sea rapid-response task force against hybrid threats

Germany's interior minister said Friday that Berlin wants to set up a rapid-response task force with Baltic Sea allies to counter hybrid threats, calling the region a "shared threat area" that should be turned into a "shared security area."

Alexander Dobrindt said the proposed force would focus on faster information sharing among the countries bordering the Baltic Sea, as concerns grow over sabotage, espionage and disruption targeting undersea infrastructure, energy links and public utilities.

"The aim is to set up a rapid-response task force that will enable us to exchange information quickly, particularly in the Baltic Sea region," Dobrindt told reporters before a conference at the Flensburg Naval Academy. "Hybrid scenarios are on the rise, becoming more severe, and are omnipresent."

The minister said the threats span the air, sea, cyberspace and critical infrastructure, and that participating countries would need to formulate joint responses for dealing with an escalating threat. He added that he expects a further increase in both the frequency and sophistication of hybrid attacks.

Officials from the interior ministries of the Baltic Sea states and Ireland are attending the gathering. Dobrindt said the conference would also address how to handle Russia's so-called shadow fleet — aging or poorly insured vessels suspected of being used to evade sanctions and carry out sabotage operations.

The initiative underscores a broader shift among European governments toward treating hybrid warfare as a permanent challenge rather than a series of isolated incidents. NATO and regional states have repeatedly warned that the Baltic Sea, a densely trafficked corridor lined with energy infrastructure, is an acute area of vulnerability. A joint task force would not necessarily respond militarily, but it could help close gaps in maritime awareness and improve coordinated action when incidents occur.