CBS News' Holly Williams got rare access to NATO submarines and stealth ships in Sweden, where they're watching for any signs of Russian aggression.

Moscow

Russian forces have invaded Ukraine from land, air and sea with strikes causing widespread damage. Global leaders have condemned the move and imposed sanctions.

Ukraine Invasion

NATO allies have increased military exercises and surveillance in the Baltic Sea in response to growing concerns over Russian military activity and suspected sabotage, including damage to undersea data cables. Sweden, recently admitted to NATO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, led the exercises and allowed rare media access to its stealth warships and submarines simulating enemy actions.

Officials highlighted the interconnected nature of security in the region, noting that any conflict in the Baltic could have global economic and security consequences. NATO members sharing coastlines with Russia are boosting military spending and defenses, while Swedish commanders described the current situation as a 'grey zone' between peace and war, reminiscent of Cold War tensions.

Onboard a NATO sub for military exercise monitoring Russia

There is rising concern this morning in Europe over Russia's possible use of drones in NATO airspace. And that, in turn, is raising fears the continent is now in a grey zone between peace and war. Holly Williams got rare access to NATO's submarines and stealth ships in Sweden, where they're watching for any signs of Russian aggression. She's in Stockholm for us this morning after this reporting trip. Holly, good morning. Good morning, Tony. The NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is arguably the United States' most important alliance, enduring for over 75 years. Here in Sweden, we've witnessed that alliance in action, in waters contested by Russia. An enemy submarine prepares for a covert mission in the Baltic Sea, part espionage, part sabotage of America's NATO allies in northern Europe. This is just a military exercise, and this German submarine is role-playing the enemy, hunted by NATO forces across the Baltic Sea. This is the galley. Commander Arlo Abrahamson is a US naval officer. So the torpedoes are down the back here? Yeah. And a spokesman for NATO's maritime headquarters, where they're closely watching Russia's military build up in the Baltic. Potential threats of adversaries in this region are interconnected throughout the world. If this part of the world is drawn into a conflict, that'll have a negative impact on the United States. Right. Security is all interconnected. Several of America's NATO allies share their Baltic coastline with Russia. In recent years, Russia's suspected of multiple acts of sabotage, damaging the undersea data cables that are the backbone of the global internet. Some believe Russia's probing how severely it could damage the West's economy if it ever went to war with NATO. Undersea cables carry trillions of dollars in financial transactions every day. The country leading these exercises is Sweden. We were given rare access to one of its stealth warships as it hunted for the enemy sub. For more than 200 years, Sweden maintained a policy of military non-alignment, but last year it became NATO's newest member, following Russia's bloody invasion of Ukraine. So we face the Russians every day. Paula Wallenberg is a Swedish flotilla commander who told us Russia's alleged acts of sabotage are a kind of hybrid warfare. We're not at peace, but not at war. We're somewhere in between. It kind of sounds like the Cold War to me. Pretty close to it, yes. It's a very serious situation when it comes to security here in this area. In fact, the Kremlin says that Russia is already at war with NATO because of its support for Ukraine. America's NATO allies here on the Baltic Sea are boosting their military spending and beefing up their defences. Nate. Harley Williams in Sweden, thank you.

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Onboard a NATO sub for military exercise monitoring Russia

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