Baltic ports face Russian espionage threat, OSW report finds

Military and economic espionage for Moscow has become one of the main threats facing Western Baltic ports, according to a new report by Poland’s Centre for Eastern Studies. Cyberattacks also occur almost every day, the report says.

The region’s largest container ports include Gdańsk, St. Petersburg, Klaipėda, Gdynia and Gothenburg. For bulk cargo, Russian ports such as Ust-Luga, Primorsk and St. Petersburg also rank among the busiest. Their importance is not merely commercial. Poland’s Naftoport terminal in Gdańsk handles all the crude oil that Orlen processes at its refineries in Gdańsk and Płock.

The OSW report, titled “Resilient Baltic: Security of Energy and Port Infrastructure, and Maritime and Air Navigation,” says Russia has stepped up efforts to map critical port facilities, including LNG and oil terminals. The activity also involves intelligence operations and tests of security systems. One stated objective is to gather information about deliveries of military equipment to Ukraine.

The monitoring takes place from land, sea and air. Investigators have documented cases in Latvia, Norway, Sweden and Poland involving people suspected of photographing port facilities for intelligence purposes. Drones are increasingly used as well.

The report also points to Russian sailors working aboard ships flying other countries’ flags. Such vessels can enter European Union ports, and international law generally allows their crews to go ashore. Norway’s Police Security Service warned in a report issued in early 2026 that Russian sailors posed serious cyber and sabotage risks, with alleged espionage focused on the Svalbard archipelago and Norway’s border with Russia. Countries in the region are introducing measures including bans and private 5G networks to protect their ports.

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One of the main challenges currently facing Baltic ports is military and economic espionage. In recent years, Russia has intensified efforts to reconnoiter key port infrastructure, including LNG and oil terminals, conduct intelligence operations and test security systems. Another objective is to obtain information about deliveries of military equipment to Ukraine. These activities are carried out through surveillance from land, sea and air.