A series of undersea cable breaches in the Baltic Sea has sparked an investigation into suspected sabotage, with Swedish police looking into the incident involving a key connection between Germany and Finland. The damage was reported near Gotland, Sweden’s largest island, and Finnish telecom operator Cinia confirmed minor damage to its fibre-optic cable without disrupting service.
The latest breach comes amid concerns of Russian involvement in attacks on undersea infrastructure since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. NATO has been monitoring the sea for such incidents. Swedish authorities have launched a preliminary investigation into the cause of the break, with evidence pointing towards possible sabotage.
Cinia is now facing its third incident of damage to this specific cable within recent months, which was severed last November. The main culprits behind the recent surge in damage are reportedly civilian ships dragging their anchors across undersea cables, but European leaders suspect Russian involvement.
Sweden’s Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson links the breach to the country’s security situation, stating that the incident must be seen in context. The investigation is ongoing with a Swedish research vessel dispatched to assist in the crime scene analysis.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy5nydr9rqvo