Two major underwater fiber-optic cables in the Baltic Sea were severed this week in what European officials suspect is another act of Russian sabotage, marking an escalation in Moscow’s alleged hybrid warfare against NATO countries.
The first incident occurred Sunday when a 135-mile cable connecting Sweden’s Gotland Island to Lithuania failed. The following night, a second 700-mile cable linking Finland and Germany ceased operating, prompting Swedish police to launch a sabotage investigation with military and coast guard support.
Preliminary findings suggest both cables were cut in Swedish economic waters at their intersection point, according to two sources familiar with the multinational investigation. Investigators determined the damage was likely caused by deliberate human interference rather than natural causes.
“Nobody believes that these cables were accidentally cut off,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters. “Therefore we must conclude—without yet knowing specifically who was behind it—that this is a hybrid operation.”
The incidents have caused only minor disruptions. Finnish and Lithuanian operators reported successful rerouting of communications through backup systems, though Lithuanian bandwidth was temporarily reduced by two-thirds. Repairs could take up to 15 days, according to cable operator Cinia.
The suspected sabotage follows a pattern of similar incidents attributed to Russia, including damaged pipelines and cables in the Baltic and Arctic regions. Western officials say these operations aim to spread panic, strain security resources, and pressure governments supporting Ukraine.
Both Finland and Sweden, which joined NATO this year after abandoning long-held neutrality, were targeted. Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen and German counterpart Annalena Baerbock issued a joint statement noting that European security faces threats not only from Russia’s war in Ukraine but also from “hybrid warfare of malicious actors.”
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One Response
Of course it was the Russians, just like when the Blow up the Natural Gas Line to Europe.(With a lot of Help from the Europas Nations.