Major Baltic Sea Data Cable Sabotaged: Who’s Behind the Dastardly Attack?

An Estonian naval ship taking part in boosted Nato patrols in the Baltic Sea in January 2025 following suspected sabotage of undersea cables



An underwater data cable connecting Sweden and Latvia was damaged early on Sunday, marking at least the fourth incident of potential sabotage in the Baltic Sea in recent months, raising concerns within NATO regarding the security of essential infrastructure.

Latvian Prime Minister Evika Siliņa indicated that the damage to the cable linking Ventspils in Latvia and Fårösund in Sweden was substantial, likely resulting from an external force. A criminal investigation has been launched, with prior incidents linked to vessels from Russia and China.

Latvian authorities dispatched a patrol boat to investigate a ship that was near the damaged fiber optic cable associated with the state radio and television center. This patrol was also monitoring two additional vessels in the vicinity.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed that at least one data cable was damaged and stated he was in communication with Siliņa, emphasizing close cooperation with NATO. In response to previous damages to cables, NATO announced its plans to deploy drones, submarines, ships, and aircraft in the Baltic Sea as part of a mission named Baltic Sentry, aiming to detect and prevent further sabotage of critical infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Finnish authorities have seized a vessel linked to Russia’s fleet of oil tankers—aged and poorly maintained ships registered in distant jurisdictions to evade international sanctions—and initiated a criminal investigation into aggravated sabotage regarding this incident.

Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen remarked that the probability of the three ships having inadvertently damaged underwater infrastructure is “close to zero,” although she refrained from directly attributing blame to Russia.

NATO allies have praised Finland’s actions in seizing the ship, particularly following two prior potential sabotage cases in which the suspected vessels departed the Baltic Sea. One incident occurred late last year when a Chinese container ship, the Newnew Polar Bear, inadvertently severed a gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia using its anchor.

Another instance involved the Chinese bulk carrier Yi Peng 3, which traversed over two data cables in the Baltic Sea around the time they were severed. After stopping in international waters for a month, Chinese investigators boarded the ship, but the Swedish government criticized Beijing for not permitting a Swedish investigator to inspect the vessel.

This latest incident occurs as the three Baltic states prepare to disconnect their electricity systems from the Soviet-era network in early February, aiming to integrate with the continental European grid, amid concerns over potential disruptions.

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which have joined the EU and NATO since gaining independence from the Soviet Union, view the shift to the European electricity system as a key step in their integration into the West.

Kęstutis Budrys, Lithuania’s foreign minister, stated that navigation regulations in the Baltic Sea ought to be reassessed, particularly regarding anchor use, highlighting the frequency of incidents that make it improbable that they are all accidental.

Generally, repairs to data cables are completed more swiftly than for gas or electricity connections, and the Latvian state radio and television center has reported finding alternative communication routes.

photo credit: www.ft.com

Share This Post

Facebook
X
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Pinterest
Reddit
Telegram
Email
Advertisement

Currency

Source: USD @ Sat, 15 Feb.