BERLIN

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius warned Tuesday that the Baltic Sea is increasingly becoming an arena of confrontation with Russia.

He urged European allies to rapidly strengthen defense readiness.

"Moscow is already conducting hybrid attacks against all of us with cyberattacks, espionage, sabotage and disinformation," Pistorius told the Berlin Security Conference, an annual gathering of European defense and military leaders.

"The Baltic Sea, which has long been considered a bridge between European countries, is increasingly becoming an area of confrontation in a very specific way. It is (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's testing ground for our deterrence and response capabilities,” he said.

The minister cited damaged undersea cables, airspace violations and unidentified drones above ports and supply networks as evidence of Russia's deliberate attempts to destabilize European countries.

“We can no longer call these coincidences. This is strategy, and these are warning signs. This is no longer about body_abstract scenarios -- Russia is rearming,​​​​​​​” Pistorius warned, and underlined that European allies will maintain their unity and increase their defense capabilities to counter Russia's hybrid threats and ensure effective deterrence.