Estonia's parliament approved legislation expanding the Estonian Defense Forces' authority to use force against foreign civilian vessels that threaten submarine cables, and the new legislation also seeks to clarify the chain of command and accountability for such actions, Estonian public broadcaster ERR reported on April 17. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova condemned the move as provocative, warning it could endanger maritime safety in the Baltic Sea and adding that Russia would respond proportionately to any perceived hostile action targeting its vessels.