In a recently highlighted draft Russian defense ministry decree, concerns have been raised over the proposed revision of borders in the Baltic Sea. Latvia has expressed the need for clarification, while Lithuania has warned of Russia's deliberate attempt to intimidate its neighbors through a targeted escalatory provocation.

Finnish President Alexander Stubb reassured that political leaders are closely monitoring the situation and that Helsinki will act calmly based on facts, as always. The draft decree suggests shifting the sea borders around Russian islands in the Gulf of Finland and around the exclave of Kaliningrad.

Although it remains unclear whether the draft proposes extending borders into Finnish waters or Lithuanian waters near Kaliningrad, the affected territory would encompass areas in the eastern Gulf of Finland, several islands close to the Finnish coast, and regions near Baltiysk and Zelenogradsk in Kaliningrad.

Given that Finland and the Baltic states are members of the EU and NATO, the military alliance is committed to defending their borders. Emergency meetings were held by Finland's defense and foreign committees, signaling the seriousness of the situation. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo emphasized the government's close monitoring of developments.

Interestingly, the Russian proposals were no longer visible on Wednesday, with the message "draft deleted" remaining on the page. A Russian source later informed news agencies that there were no plans to revise Russia's territorial waters in the Baltic, referring to the draft as a bureaucratic technical exercise.

Nevertheless, concerns remain high, with Lithuania's Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis stating that this is an obvious escalation against NATO and the EU, calling for an appropriately firm response. Sweden's armed forces chief, Gen Micael Byden, also issued a call for vigilance, highlighting President Putin's desire to gain control of the Baltic Sea.

Sweden, which recently joined NATO, has increased its military presence on the Baltic island of Gotland, considering it a strategic location. Gen Byden stressed that the Baltic Sea should not serve as Putin's playground and that the loss of control over Gotland would jeopardize peace and stability in the Nordic and Baltic regions.

Finland, which became a NATO member last year, has recently announced plans to prevent large numbers of asylum seekers from crossing its eastern border with Russia, expressing concerns about possible instrumentalization of migration by Moscow. However, the UN refugee agency has warned that such actions could lead to pushbacks of people with legitimate asylum claims, resulting in severe injuries, family separations, and even loss of life.

As tensions rise and concerns deepen, the Finnish Institute of International Affairs' Charly Salonius-Pasternak has observed that the Russian plan seeks to appear as a bureaucratic, technical exercise. While the situation continues to unfold, Finland and the Baltic states remain vigilant, ensuring that their borders and the stability of the region are preserved.