Baltic Sea Cable cuts spark “sabotage” suspicions as tensions with Russia mount
The communications cable between Finland and Germany was laid in 2015. Pic: Reuters © Reuters
Two telecommunications cables were severed in the Baltic Sea within 48 hours, prompting European officials to suspect “sabotage” and “hybrid warfare” linked to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Investigations have been launched by Finland, Germany, Lithuania, and Sweden, with Berlin and Swedish police citing potential “sabotage.”
On Monday, Finnish telecom operator Cinia reported that the C-Lion1 submarine cable, which connects Helsinki to Germany’s Rostock port, had been cut south of Öland Island in Swedish waters, approximately 700 km from Helsinki.
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A Cinia spokesperson stated, “These kinds of breaks don’t happen in these waters without an outside impact.”
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen issued a joint statement emphasizing the gravity of the situation: “The fact that such an incident immediately raises suspicions of intentional damage speaks volumes about the volatility of our times. Our European security is not only under threat from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors.”
Another submarine cable, the Arelion, connecting Sweden’s Gotland Island to Lithuania, was damaged on Sunday.
Audrius Stasiulaitis, a spokesperson for Telia’s Lithuanian branch, confirmed that the issue resulted from “material damage to the fibre optic cable” rather than equipment failure. However, internet traffic has been successfully rerouted, avoiding customer disruptions.
European leaders have increasingly referred to “hybrid warfare” to describe activities believed to involve Russia.
Swedish Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin emphasized the importance of determining why two cables failed, revealing that Swedish authorities are reviewing ship movements in the affected areas.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius remarked that nobody believes the cables were accidentally severed, citing clear sabotage.
Reports suggest Danish navy ships monitored a Chinese cargo vessel, the Yi Peng 3, as it exited the Baltic Sea shortly after the cables were damaged. Investigations into the incidents are ongoing.
