Sweden Investigates Severed Undersea Cables in the Baltic Sea
Sweden is currently investigating the severance of two submarine telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea, which occurred on November 17 and 18. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson announced on Tuesday that the Swedish government has requested the Chinese cargo ship Yi Peng 3, which is anchored off the coast, to move to Swedish territorial waters. This request aims to facilitate cooperation in understanding the circumstances surrounding the cable cuts, which Sweden suspects may be linked to sabotage.
The Yi Peng 3, a bulk carrier built in 2001, was tracked sailing in the vicinity of the severed cables around the time of the incidents. However, there is no direct evidence linking the ship to the cable damage. The cables in question are crucial for telecommunications, connecting Sweden to Lithuania and Finland to Germany, and their rupture has raised significant concerns about security in the region.
International Tensions and Investigations
The situation has heightened tensions in the Baltic Sea, particularly in light of ongoing geopolitical issues stemming from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Several leaders have suggested that the cable severance could be part of a
},{
hybrid attack,
a term used to describe a combination of conventional and unconventional tactics used to destabilize a region. The Kremlin has dismissed these allegations as
laughable
and
absurd,
denying any involvement in the incidents.
In response to the cable cuts, both the German and Finnish governments have initiated investigations. The operator of the cables, Finnish technology group Cinia, reported a
fault
that resulted in the disruption of all fiber connections, emphasizing that such damage typically requires external impact. This incident is not isolated; similar acts of sabotage have been reported in the North Sea, including damage to an underwater gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia in October 2023.
Strategic Importance of Submarine Cables
Submarine cables are vital for global communications, with over 430 cables currently in operation worldwide, accounting for 99% of international data traffic. The recent incidents underscore the strategic importance of these cables and the potential vulnerabilities they face in a tense geopolitical climate. Former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö has previously called for enhanced intelligence cooperation within the European Union to address such threats more effectively.
