Swedish officials stated on Tuesday that an undersea telecommunication cable between Sweden and Estonia was damaged earlier this month but continues to be operational.
As per the reports, the incident occurred around the same time Finland reported a gas pipeline leak.
Commenting on the Finland gas pipeline leak, Finnish investigators said they had identified two vessels operating in the region where the pipeline and cable were damaged on 8 October, designating one as a Russian-flagged ship and the other as a Chinese-owned vessel.
Sweden Reports Telecom Link Damage
Swedish Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin stated that what caused the damage to the undersea cable that connects Sweden and Estonia was unclear.
“It is not a total cable break. There is partial damage on this cable,” Bohlin claimed. “We cannot assess what caused the damage.”
Bohlin added, “But what we can say is that this damage has happened at a similar time and in physical proximity ... to the damage that was previously reported to a gas pipeline between Estonia and Finland and a telecommunications cable between Estonia and Finland.”
As per the reports, the cable was damaged outside Sweden’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone.
BREAKING:
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 17, 2023
Sweden announces that the Baltic Sea Submarine Cable (telecommunications) between Sweden and Estonia has been damaged. pic.twitter.com/qyq2sNa4Ja
According to the Estonian Economic Affairs and Communications Ministry, the damage happened on a cable to Sweden around 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Hiiumaa Island.
Swedish Defence Minister Pål Jonson said that his country’s police, military, and coast guard are in contact with their Estonian counterparts about the matter. He also stated that there was increased vigilance in the Baltic Sea.
“We see the issue of security for our critical infrastructure as a high priority, and we take the current situation seriously,” Pål Jonson stated during a news conference. He made no comments on who or what could have caused the damage.
Similar Damage to Finland Pipeline
On 8 October, Finland indicated that its coast guard had detected “clear damage” on the Balticconnector natural gas pipeline, which had been shut down due to a leak. Later, the Finnish authorities stated that it may have been a deliberate act.
According to a statement issued by Finland, the breach is located in the country’s economic zone.
In a statement, Finnish President Sauli Niinistö stated, “It is likely that damage to both the gas pipeline and the communication cable is the result of outside activity. The cause of the damage is not yet clear, the investigation continues in cooperation between Finland and Estonia.”
During a press conference, Finnish PM Petteri Orpo resisted labelling the pipeline damage as sabotage, claiming that regular activities could not have caused it. “It is too early to draw conclusions on who or what caused the damage,” Orpo added, noting that gas accounts for 5% of Finland’s energy supply.
The investigation will be directed by Finnish or Estonian officials, who will work together closely, depending on the exact location of the problem.
Finland’s Update on Pipeline Damage
In an update, Finland’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) stated that the vessels operating in the vicinity during the event were identified using the available information.
NBI said, “Investigative measures have been focused on several vessels, including the NewNew Polar Bear and Sevmorput, but also on others which, according to data, had been in the area at the time of the damage.”
Reports indicate that the NewNew Polar Bear is a container ship owned and operated by the Chinese business NewNew Shipping, whereas the Sevmorput is a nuclear-powered cargo ship registered in Russia.
In a recent news conference, Swedish PM Ulf Kristersson said there was a “spaghetti” of critical infrastructure at the bottom of the Baltic Sea and declared that Sweden and its partners in the Joint Expeditionary Force, a 10-nation military alliance, would look into ways to improve protection of critical pipes and cables.