Two telecoms cables in Baltic Sea severed, raising suspicions of sabotage

Two undersea telecom cables in the Baltic Sea have been severed, prompting suspicions of sabotage. The affected cables include a 1,200 km link between Finland and Germany, which ceased functioning early on Monday, and a 218 km cable connecting Lithuania to Sweden, which went offline the previous day. Finnish and German officials expressed deep concern over the incidents, indicating they are investigating potential intentional damage. This event echoes previous incidents in the region, including damage to a gas pipeline and other cables last year, as well as the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline explosions. The Finnish cybersecurity company Cinia reported that repairs to the Finland-Germany cable could take between five to 15 days. The Baltic Sea, a crucial commercial shipping route surrounded by nine countries, has seen increased scrutiny due to security threats linked to Russia's actions in Ukraine and concerns over hybrid warfare tactics. Swedish officials emphasized the importance of understanding the cause of the cable failures, as they are vital to regional infrastructure. Investigations into past incidents have pointed to a Chinese container ship as a possible culprit, although the intent behind the damage remains unclear.

- Two telecom cables in the Baltic Sea were severed, raising sabotage suspicions.

- The cables affected link Finland to Germany and Lithuania to Sweden.

- Finnish and German authorities are investigating the incidents as potential intentional damage.

- Previous incidents in the region have heightened concerns over infrastructure security.

- Repairs to the damaged cables may take 5 to 15 days.