NATO active

Another fiber optic cable damaged in the Baltic Sea

An undersea cable in the Baltic Sea (archive image)

(Bild: glomex)

A fiber optic cable between Latvia and Sweden was damaged on Sunday morning. "We have come to the conclusion that there is most likely external damage and that it is significant," said Latvian Prime Minister Evika Silina. She promised that the matter would be investigated.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson also announced that his country would work closely with the Latvian authorities and NATO. The cable that was damaged on Sunday morning connected the Latvian port city of Ventspils with the Swedish island of Gotland. It was damaged in the Swedish economic zone. 

The Latvian navy sent a patrol to inspect a ship that may have caused the damage. Two other ships in the area are also under investigation, it was reported.

Presumably intentional again
As reported, the NATO defense alliance increased its presence in the Baltic Sea at the end of December after a ship damaged a power cable and four communication cables between Estonia and Finland. In 2023 and 2024, ships traveling to or from Russia damaged a gas pipeline and undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. Western authorities assume that this could be deliberate sabotage.

Here you can see pictures of the NATO operation.

In mid-January, it was agreed that additional resources would be deployed "at sea, in the air, on land and below the surface of the sea" in order to strengthen protection. In addition, the accountability of ships responsible for the damage is to be increased. For example, they would have to pay compensation. Ships from Russia and China are suspected of being behind the cable damage to date.