Swedish authorities have detained a cargo ship suspected of damaging an undersea communications cable, prompting a criminal probe and highlighting NATO’s growing concerns about Baltic Sea infrastructure security.
Prosecutors ordered the Maltese-flagged Vezhen held at Karlskrona port while police, military and coast guard investigators examine damage to the data cable linking Sweden and Latvia.
The ship’s Bulgarian operator claims high winds forced an anchor drop that damaged the cable accidentally. Latvia’s military counters that its forces spotted three vessels near the incident site.
NATO launched its Baltic Sentry operation this month specifically to prevent such incidents after multiple cable attacks in 2024. The mission deploys warships, aircraft, and drones to monitor suspicious vessels, particularly what NATO chief Mark Rutte calls Russia’s “shadow fleet” — ships that transport embargoed oil under unclear ownership.
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There is “reason for grave concern,” Rutte said, announcing plans to board and potentially seize suspect vessels.
Latvia’s state broadcaster LVRTC, which owns the damaged cable, reports service disruptions but says most users remain unaffected. Prime Minister Evika Silina pledged close coordination with Swedish and NATO officials.
Related: Finland Seizes Suspected Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker After Cable Damage
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