NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte says the military alliance will step up patrols in the Baltic Sea area as Finnish investigators work to establish whether a ship linked to Russia sabotaged undersea cables there this week.

NATO member states have decided to enhance the bloc’s military presence in the Baltic Sea. The decision was made to protect critical infrastructure following recent damage to underwater cables connecting Estonia and Finland,

NATO allies met on Dec. 30 to address the security of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, following damage to undersea cables connecting Estonia and Finland several days earlier.

NATO said on Friday it would boost its presence in the Baltic Sea after the suspected sabotage this week of an undersea power cable and four internet lines, while alliance member Estonia launched a naval operation to guard a parallel electricity link.

In Russia's view, both Hungary and A senior NATO official outlined the strong possibility of an unconventional attack by Russia on NATO countries in an interview with London-based broadcaster Sky News on Sunday.