Sweden Probes Potential Sabotage of Undersea Telecom Cable

Swedish authorities are actively investigating the suspected sabotage of an essential undersea telecom cable linking Germany and Finland, amid a surge of similar incidents following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Swedish police are currently investigating a suspected sabotage incident involving an undersea telecom cable in the Baltic Sea that links Germany to Finland. This development has raised alarms as multiple undersea cables and gas pipelines have suffered damage in similar incidents since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, leading to NATO initiating a monitoring mission in the region last month. The Swedish coastguard has sent a research vessel to the area east of Gotland—Sweden's largest island—where the latest damage has been reported.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson acknowledged the cable break, asserting that it needs to be viewed within the broader context of the ongoing security challenges in the region. The affected cable, owned by Finnish telecom operator Cinia, exhibited signs of minor damage; however, it continues to operate normally. Notably, this marks the third instance of damage to this specific cable in recent months, with a complete severance recorded last November.

Damage to undersea infrastructure in the Baltic Sea has surged in recent months, largely attributed to civilian vessels inadvertently dragging their anchors over the cables. In response to the ongoing inquiries, Swedish police stated, "the preliminary investigation relates to suspected sabotage," underscoring the gravity of these incidents.

The coastguard has dispatched the vessel KBV 003 to assist in investigating the damage within the Swedish economic zone, although officials have yet to determine when it occurred. European leaders have speculated about possible Russian involvement in the breaches, although investigations have also pointed to adverse weather conditions, human error, and inadequate equipment contributing to some of the damage. Earlier this month, the Bulgarian ship Vezhen was cleared of any wrongdoing following damage to the cable, emphasizing the complexity of the situation. In turn, NATO has ramped up its mission to safeguard critical undersea infrastructure.