Swedish authorities are investigating a possible case of sabotage involving an undersea telecommunications cable in the Baltic Sea. The Swedish coast guard has dispatched a vessel to the site where several seabed cables have sustained damage in recent months.
The Baltic Sea region is currently on high alert, with NATO enhancing its presence following a series of incidents involving power cables, telecom links, and gas pipelines, which have been linked to activities in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Many of these disruptions have been attributed to civilian ships dragging their anchors.
Finnish telecom company Cinia reported minor damage to its C-Lion1 undersea fiber-optic cable, which connects Finland and Germany, though it confirmed that the cable remains operational.
Swedish police are leading the investigation since the incident occurred within Sweden's economic zone. Police spokesperson Mathias Rutegard stated, "The preliminary investigation relates to suspected sabotage." This is the third damage incident involving the C-Lion1 cable, which was previously severed in late 2022.
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson emphasized the government's concern, highlighting the significance of undersea infrastructure security amid the prevailing geopolitical tensions.