BRUSSELS: NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea region, the alliance's leader said on Tuesday.

Secretary-General Mark Rutte said that the mission dubbed Baltic Sentry would include frigates, maritime patrol aircraft and a fleet of naval drones to provide "enhanced surveillance and deterrence."

Announcing the new operation, Rutte noted that more than 95 per cent of internet traffic is secured via undersea cables, and 1.3 million kilometres (8,08,000 miles) of cables guarantee an estimated USD 10 trillion worth of financial transactions every day.